Seasons
by 1st endeavor
Summary: Charlie and Don are having trouble dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic experience and discover that the elusive path to closure can take some "surprising" turns.
1. Chapter 1

_Seasons_

_By 1__st__ endeavor_

Disclaimer: All the characters and references to the show "NUMB3RS" are the property of Cheryl Heuton and Nick Falaci, CBS and the Scott Brothers. I am not making any profit from this and no infringement is intended. This disclaimer applies to all of the chapters in this story.

However, the story and original characters are mine.

Spoilers: Convergence

A/N: This is dedicated to Catroxie and who have been encouraging me to finish this tale. It's also dedicated to tootlebug, masondixon, PattyB, HuskerCat, Cutter12, Deanna and all of my other readers who expressed a desire to learn more of the life of Thomas Hill and his friendship with Charlie. This story takes place a few months after the end of By the Dawn's Early Light so if you have not read that story you might want to read it first.

_(Charlie's memories and the mysterious whispers are written in italics_.)

Chapter 1:

Charlie sighed heavily and rolled over on his side, careful not to pull the covers from the sleeping woman lying next to him. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand but didn't really need to see it to know that it was almost five a.m. Within the past eight months the young mathematician had developed an unnatural fear of the five o'clock hour, specifically those last five minutes before dawn made its appearance. He actually felt relieved that he had awakened; sleeping through those dreaded minutes was far worse than facing it while he was awake. He tossed the blankets aside and rose carefully from the bed. In the darkness he felt around for his robe then slipped silently through the bedroom door, closing it quietly behind him.

The hardwood floor was cold against his feet as he shuffled through the cabin but he was too focused on the time to let it bother him; it was almost dawn- a time that held a profound and unsettling effect over him.

"Dawn," he thought as the first chime echoed through his memory, "is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise." He switched on a small lamp hoping that the light would help dispel his fears and tried to force the darker thoughts from his mind. "There is also the Astronomical dawn," he mused as the second chime sounded within his head. "The time at which the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon in the morning or," he thought desperately, trying to ward off the third chime, "the Nautical dawn when the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon."

He had failed; the third chime flared through his memory with such intensity that it felt like a physical blow. Charlie gasped and stumbled to the sofa; collapsing on the cushions just as his legs gave way beneath him. He leaned forward closing his eyes while he massaged the back of his neck in an effort to relive his aching and tense muscles but gave up a minute later, it didn't help…nothing seemed to help.

"Why wouldn't it stop? Shouldn't it have stopped by now?" he whispered frantically to the empty room. He rubbed his forehead nervously; trying desperately to push his thoughts elsewhere then broke out in a sweat as the fourth chime flitted across his mind.

His heart began to race in anticipation of the last chime; it was always the worst one, that final peal that could have signaled the end of his life. Charlie grabbed a notepad and pen from a table next to the sofa in a desperate attempt to ward off the memory of the final chime. "Number theory," he mumbled desperately, scribbling furiously, "think number theory."

Suddenly Charlie shuddered uncontrollably, dropping both pad and pen as the fifth chime, followed by the sound of gunfire, pealed loudly in his ears. "Oh, God!" he moaned, bowing his head and covering his face with his hands. "When is it going to end?" He had been getting better and there had actually been mornings when he had been able to sleep through that dreaded hour peacefully but the last few weeks the chimes had returned with a vengeance.

Charlie raised his head, exhaling a shuddering breath; it was over for now- the chimes wouldn't ring again, at least not for another day.

_"Maybe Tom was the lucky one after all." He muttered under his breath as he leaned forward again to rest his elbows on his knees and hold his head in his hands._

_"**Noooo, Charliee," a familiar but haunting voice seemed to whisper out of nowhere****. "****You don't mean that. Don't ever think like that."**_

"What?" Charlie's head jerked up, brown eyes widening as he glanced around the room. "Amita?" He called out tentatively; his gaze darting toward the bedroom but the door remained closed and there was no sign that his wife had awakened.

"It couldn't have been Amita," he thought suddenly as his head swiveled around to view the whole room. "I heard a man's voice….not a woman's." He swallowed hard, beginning to feel uneasy when he couldn't find the person to go with the voice. "I must have imagined it," he decided, laughing nervously. "I'm really losing it now."

The young man suddenly felt chilled and brought his cold feet up to tuck beneath his robe. As he was getting comfortable his right foot nudged a small box of photographs that had been left lying on top of one of the cushions. Amita had discovered it the night before and they had been gazing at the pictures before going to bed. The photographs had belonged to his friend Tom and as he pushed the box out of his way one of them caught his eye. It was a picture that Tom had taken of him during his second year of college. Charlie picked it up and gazed at it thoughtfully, letting the photograph carry him away to another time and place.

**Princeton University**

**_Fourteen year old Charlie Eppes shifted nervously from foot to foot, and then peaked around the stage curtain for what must have been the hundredth time. The lecture hall, MCCosh 50, where he was currently standing, was rapidly filling up with the elite of Princeton University as well as journalists representing The American Journal of Mathematics and other scientific publications._**

**_TV crews from FOX News, CNN and the local news stations also packed the hall and were busy positioning their cameras and doing sound checks in preparation for their upcoming broadcasts. The youngster swallowed hard as his eyes drifted over the upper balcony where students and Professors alike scurried to take their seats before the presentation began._**

**_Charlie had become the youngest person to ever publish a major paper and today he was giving his first seminar on that paper: The Eppes Convergence._**

_**Suddenly his dark brown eyes narrowed suspiciously as they followed the entrance of a group of his fellow classmates, particularly a tall, lanky boy wearing a pair of dark rimmed glasses; his nemesis, Marshall Penfield. The young man had been a thorn in Charlie's side from the first moment that he had set foot on campus; it seemed that the boy had made it his life's work to scrutinize and look for flaws in everything that Charlie did. The fact that Penfield had failed to discredit Charlie's work so far had not diminished his efforts but only seemed to spur him on. Charlie sighed inwardly; apparently today's seminar was not going to be an exception in the boy's behavior.**_

_**Light reflected off of something on Marshall's shirt drawing Charlie's attention away from the boy's face. He leaned further around the curtain and squinted up at the balcony as he tried to get a better view of the object. Charlie jerked erect abruptly, his body stiffening as Marshall caught his eye and turned to face him. For a brief second hurt was reflected in Charlie's expressive brown eyes; he was no stranger to ridicule, but even so he still longed for acceptance by his fellow classmates and the badge that Penfield had chosen to wear hurt him deeply. Almost immediately the hurt turned to anger, and outraged he turned to the boy standing by his side.**_

"_**Look! Just look at that!" Charlie hissed angrily, pointing at Penfield with his chin. "Just look what he is wearing on his shirt!"**_

"_**Take it easy Charlie." Nineteen year old Thomas Hill replied soothingly. Standing a head taller than his young friend Tom glanced over Charlie's head, his blue eyes drifting upward to view the balcony. **_

"_**That damn son-of-a bitch!"Tom muttered angrily, his good humor deteriorating rapidly when he spied the "Don't believe the hype" badge that Penfield was flaunting. Cursing under his breath he stepped back behind the curtain and lowered his eyes to meet the distressed gaze of his young friend; absently tucking a strand of his collar-length blonde hair behind an ear as he tried to calm the boy down.**_

"_**Penfield's an idiot, Charlie. Just ignore him."Tom said sympathetically, squeezing the young boy's shoulder encouragingly. "No one is going to believe anything that he says, and once you give your presentation everyone will see him for the jealous jerk that he is." He tilted his head to the side as he studied his friends face. "You know that…right?"**_

"_**S…sure. I mean...right." Charlie agreed meekly, ducking his head and looking away, hoping to hide the uncertainty and doubt that he was suddenly feeling.**_

_**Tom wasn't buying it though. "Charlie?" He gave the boy's shoulder another squeeze and waited for him to look up. "Listen to me. Penfield's brains are located in the wrong part of his anatomy ….if you get my drift….so you shouldn't let anything he does or says bother you. Okay?"**_

"_**Okay, Tom." Charlie said, raising his head higher; his lips spreading in a broad grin while he pictured Marshall's brains located in a particular part of his body.**_

_**Relieved that his strategy was working Tom continued to make fun of Penfield; his blue eyes lighting up with mischievous merriment.**_

"_**Just picture how his jaw will drop when it's announced that you've won The Milton Prize." **_

"_**But Tom," Charlie countered, "I haven't won it yet – I've just been nominated."**_

_**Tom rolled his eyes. "Of course you'll win it Charlie! No one else has presented anything that even comes close to "the Eppes Convergence." He suddenly glanced over Charlie's head and followed some movement in the crowded hall. "Hey, I just saw Dr. Edwards heading for the stage so I better get going. Your Mom and Dad are already in the front row and they said that they would save me a seat." He turned to leave but paused mid-step, concern crossing his features. "Are you sure that you're okay?"**_

_**Charlie took a deep breath and nodded his head. "Don't worry Tom, I'll be fine."**_

"_**That'll never know what hit'em, Charlie." The older boy replied confidently, a knowing grin spreading across his face, then turned without another word and hurried to take his seat.**_

_**After a moment, Charlie peaked around the curtain again and watched his friend slip into the vacant chair next to his father. Tom leaned over to say something to Alan and Margaret then pointed to the curtain that he was standing behind. They spied him right away, waving and calling out his name; they're expressions filled with love and pride. Charlie blushed, waved back and stepped behind the curtain once again. He was thrilled that his father had been able to attend his presentation, but disappointed to learn that his older brother would not be there. He frowned as he thought about it…it wasn't as if he had really expected Don to show up; a gap had grown between them and it had nothing to do with Geography. Alan had tried to cover for him by saying that Don was gearing up for his mid-terms and couldn't get away but Charlie knew better; the simple truth was that his brother didn't want to be around him.**_

_**There was a sudden stir among the crowd as Dr. Edwards crossed the stage and stood before the podium.**_

"_**Ladies and Gentlemen," The professor began as he waved a hand to encompass the entire hall. "It seems only fitting that Charles Eppes, a child prodigy and certified genius, should present his theory to you in this particular lecture hall. After all, in 1921 another genius, Albert Einstein, stood in this very hall and gave his renowned Stafford Little lectures on the theory of relativity. I believe that was the year before he won the Nobel Prize."**_

_**Edwards turned and motioned for Charlie to step onto the stage. "I am proud to introduce you to Charles Eppes, the youngest student to ever attend Princeton University." He smiled as Charlie took his place beside a blank whiteboard. "It will not surprise me in the least, if someday he also becomes the youngest student to graduate from these hallowed halls as well."**_

"_**For the benefit of those among you that are non-mathematicians, I would like to define the word "elegant" as it is used in context with Math. Mathematicians don't have much regard for a solution that's obtained by grinding through a standard algorithm. We call this kind of calculation "turning the crank" and turning the crank ranks zero on the elegance scale." **_

_**A sudden murmur of chuckles, along with the nodding of heads rippled through the mathematicians sitting in the second and third rows, prompting Dr. Edwards to wait until the noise subsided. **_

_**Edwards cleared his throat and continued on with his explanation. "For example, long division, although necessary for us to know, is not an elegant solution to any problem. It's too much work, and it takes too long. If we want to take one eighth of 1000, we can recognize that taking an eighth of something is the same as halving it three times. 1000, 500, 250, 125, and there's our answer. The mathematician calls this "elegant". Today's youth would call it "Cool!"**_

_**Professional mathematicians call it the "elegant" solution. Saying that a calculation or proof is "elegant" is the highest compliment mathematicians pay one another."**_

_**Edwards beamed and waved a hand at Charlie. "Ladies and Gentlemen, at this moment I will turn the stage over to Charles Edward Eppes , and I have no doubt that by the time he has finished presenting "The Eppes Convergence" , that all of the mathematicians in this audience will agree that it is most "elegant".**_

_**Charlie took a deep breath as Edwards left the stage. He picked up the marker and as he began to explain his theory and write the first equation on the board his numbers took over and his nervousness faded away.**_

The sound of thunder rolled in the distance bringing Charlie's thoughts back to the present. It had been a long time since he had thought of that long ago presentation and Tom had been right, by the time that he had finished, not only Penfield's badge had disappeared from his shirt, but his arrogant smile had faded as well.

TBC

"_In-Math, "elegant" means "cool!" Article written by Russ Rowlett_


	2. Chapter 2

_Seasons_

_By 1__st__ Endeavor_

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: At the beginning of Chapter 1, I tried to thank someone for encouraging me to write this tale and for some reason the site removed her name. I'm going to try and outsmart the system by writing her name a little differently. Thank you Ms. Graham Cracker for all of your support.

_A/N: Don's memories are written in italics._

Chapter 2:

The soft hum of the tires as the SUV sped along the Pacific Northwest Highway combined with the early hour had lulled everyone to sleep...everyone but the driver, of course

Don yawned widely, slowing down as he rounded a curve then immediately flicked off his high beams at the sight of the approaching headlights. There wasn't that much traffic to contend with at four-thirty five in the morning so he had managed to keep the high beams on most of the way, which was a good thing since the highway was shrouded in complete darkness. The vehicle passed by and with a sigh of relief he quickly switched the bright lights back on again. He really needed to have the high beams on to maneuver safely over the mountainous road, not only because of the steep inclines and sharp curves but also to help spot any of the local wildlife that might decide to cross the road in front of him.

The soft snores from the back seat were beginning to make him drowsy so he lifted a Styrofoam cup to his lips for a much needed shot of caffeine. "Empty," he muttered irritably, dropping the cup back in the cup holder. Disappointed, he rubbed his face tiredly and glanced in the rearview mirror. His father and their friend Larry had fallen asleep as soon as he'd pulled out of the motel parking lot and it didn't help matters any that Robin was fast asleep too, in the adjoining passenger seat; her soft steady breathing had him remembering how cozy they had been before the alarm clock had so rudely interrupted them that morning. It had been necessary to leave early in order for them to meet Charlie and Amita at their cabin in Castle Rock by 7:00 a.m.

The agent's full attention was brought back to the road when he spied several pairs of eyes reflecting his headlights so he eased off of the gas pedal and by the time he arrived at the spot where he had seen them he caught a glimpse of a small herd of deer disappearing into the woods. Don smiled softly; happy that they had all made it across the road safely.

Don sped up again but kept a close eye on the woods running alongside of the highway just in case the deer decided to double back on him. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and frowned; fifteen minutes until dawn. Within the past several months the agent had developed an unnatural fear of the five o'clock hour, specifically those last five minutes before dawn made its appearance. He was relieved that he was already awake; sleeping through the five o'clock hour was far worse than facing it while he was awake.

An all night convenience store came into view so he quickly veered off of the road and pulled up in front of the main entrance. Robin stirred as he turned off the engine but didn't wake up so he quietly climbed out, locking the doors behind him. He massaged the back of his neck as he entered the store and looked around. At first Don didn't see anyone behind the counter but as he glanced around the store to look for the cashier he heard a loud rumbling noise coming from somewhere behind the register; leaning over the counter he could just make out the form of a man curled up on the floor.

"Hey, mister!" Don called out loudly but he didn't get a response so he pounded on the counter and shouted. "I could use some help here!"

The snoring came to an abrupt halt as the man on the floor jumped quickly to his feet; shamefaced at being caught sleeping on the job he attempted to straighten out his disheveled hair and clothing before meeting Don's gaze.

"S…s…sorry mister." The night manager stammered awkwardly as he tried to get his hair in place; static electricity was making it impossible for him to flatten it out. With a sigh he gave up trying to get it under control. "What can I help you with, sir?"

The man presented a comical sight and Don was finding it difficult not to laugh at his appearance. He looked as if he was in his mid-fifties, slightly bald on the top of his head with the hair at the sides and back sticking out like he had just stuck his finger in an electrical socket and the shirt that he was trying to straighten out had lost a few buttons. It was apparent to Don that the reason for the missing buttons was because the man's shirt had to stretch across his rather large belly.

Don coughed to hide a chuckle. "Ah…I'd like a cup of coffee and the use of a restroom, if you have one?"

"Oh…yeah sure, "the man quickly replied pointing toward the back of the store. "Straight back and to your right."

"Thanks." Don said, scratching his upper lip to hide the grin on his face as he strode quickly to the rear of the store

"I'll put on some fresh coffee," the manager called after him seeing a chance for redemption. "It'll be ready by the time you come back."

Don gave him a nod and made his way through the store. He glanced at his watch as he pushed open the bathroom door and broke out in a sweat; seven minutes until five. He unzipped, took care of business, and had just turned on the water in the sink when the distant peal of a chime was dredged up from the dark recesses of his mind. He flinched and tried to concentrate on washing his hands then began to splash water on his face in a frantic effort to ward off the sound of the second chime which he knew would be coming- it didn't work….nothing ever worked

The agent stared in the mirror over the sink, his jaw clenched in anticipation of the third chime but even though he tried to prepare himself for it he still jumped when it pealed causing him to bite the inside of his jaw. He tasted blood and cupped some water in his hand to rinse out his mouth but his hand was trembling so much that he spilled more on his shirt than he actually got in his mouth. Don turned off the water then grabbed some paper towels; he dried his face and hands and had just tossed the soiled paper in the trash when the forth peal flitted across his mind. It stuck him like a physical blow; gasping for breath he held on to the wash basin with white-knuckled hands. He was sweating profusely now, his shirt sticking to his back and chest as _he waited for that fifth chime to ring. _

"_Fresh air," he thought frantically, his heart racing as he headed for the door. "If I can just make it outside maybe it won't be so bad this time." _

The fifth one rang ominously in his head and he stumbled blindly against the door as an unwanted vision began to play out before his eyes. With his back pressed against the door he slid slowly to the floor; squeezing his head between his hands while he tried desperately to banish the horrific hallucination from his sight. "Nooo," he whispered anxiously, "please...stop." But nothing he did could stop the memory from resurfacing.

_Don tried to hold his hand steady as the fourth peal of the chime rang out. He only had clear vision in his right eye so he squeezed his left eye shut and zeroed in on his target. Schiller was standing directly in front of his brother, he couldn't even get a visual on Charlie which meant that unless he could get the gunman to turn around he would have to go for a head shot. Ludwig was a taller than Charlie so that was the only place that he could shoot the man without being afraid that his shot would pass through him and hit his brother_

_Sweat dripped in his eye so he dipped his head and rubbed his face against the sleeve of his shirt to clear his vision. Don heard the sounds of distant sirens; David and his team, but they would be too late.__Don slowed his breathing focused on the target and wrapped his finger around the trigger._

_As soon as the fifth chime began to peal the room exploded with the noise of gunfire__._

_With a trembling hand he wiped the sweat from his upper lip and struggled to his feet; horror- filled eyes locked on the scene before him. Had there been two shots or just one? He wasn't sure. He blinked his good eye rapidly trying to clear his vision; there was too much smoke in the room for just one shot and the way his ears were ringing reinforced his theory of two shots. If that was the case then which one of them had fired first? Had he given Schiller time to shoot his brother before he pulled the trigger? _

_The agent swallowed hard and followed the bloody trail to his brother's body. _

"_Oh Buddy." Don's voice choked with emotion at the first clear sight that he had of his brother. It looked as if he had literally taken a bath in blood; red stains covered the right side of his face and neck. Charlie's entire upper torso was soaked with the crimson liquid and his head was lying in a pool of blood. His brother lay still and unmoving; no one could lose that much blood and still be alive._

_Ignoring his own pain Don gathered Charlie's limp form in his arms, pulling his head close to his chest so that it rested against his shoulder. Grief-stricken he rested his cheek against his brother's dark curls and closed his eyes as he rocked Charlie slowly back and forth, tears flowing freely down his cheeks; the loss too much for him to bear._

The vision abruptly faded and Don exhaled a slow, shuddering breath; it was over now- the chimes wouldn't ring again, at least not for another day.

He rose unsteadily to his feet and staggered over to the sink; turning on the spigot with a trembling hand he cupped his hands together and splashed water on his face. Don tried to take a deep calming breath but jumped when there was a sudden knock at the door. _When had he become so edgy?_

"Hey, mister, the coffee's ready."

"Good. Ah…thanks. I'll be right out." The agent called out as he dried off again, then hurried through the door and over to the counter.

"What size coffee do you want?"

Don glanced out at the car to see if he needed to get anyone else a cup but it looked as if everyone was still asleep. "Better make it a large."

He was fishing out his wallet when he heard a gasp and looked up to meet the wide-eyed fearful gaze of the manager. Without thinking Don swung around to see what had frightened the man; shoving his jacket aside in case he needed to grab his gun. A quick, cursory scan around the store failed to turn up a threat so he turned back around and was surprised to see the manager holding his arms up in the air with his back pressed against the wall; eyes locked on the gun at the agent's waist.

Don suddenly realized that the manager must have spotted the gun on his belt while he was looking for his wallet so he raised his own hands in a placating manner. "Sorry, man, I didn't mean to frighten you." He pulled his ID from another pocket and held it up for him to see. "FBI."

The expression of relief on the man's face immediately changed to one of excitement. "That's freaking awesome!" He exclaimed, stepping back up to the counter. "Are you working on a case around here?"

Don shook his head and stuffed his ID back into his pocket. "Sorry to disappoint you but I'm on my way to the mountains for a vacation."

"Aw, that's okay. It's still cool anyway." He said with a shrug of his shoulders then turned around to fill up the Styrofoam coffee up.

"That'll be a buck twenty-five." The manager started to ring up his order then paused with his finger hovering over the total button. "Anything else?"

Don glanced around the counter then pointed at a pack of gum. "Ah...yeah, you can add that to my order."

"Sure thing."

A few minutes later Don was pulling back onto the highway; his passengers still fast asleep. As he drove he couldn't stop thinking about his memories of Schiller's assault; it just didn't make any sense to him. He'd gotten over it and thought that he had successfully put the assault behind him but then a few months ago the flashbacks had begun to creep back , slowly at first then with a frightening intensity; bombarding him with horrific mental images that threatened to rip apart the fine fabric of his sanity.

A crossroads appeared up ahead so Don slowed to a stop then turned northeast on the Lewis River road toward Mt. St Helens.

"What had changed?" The agent mused thoughtfully, popping a stick of gum into his mouth. What recent events could have triggered the return of those terrible memories? Thomas Hill's dedication ceremony was this weekend but he didn't believe that the dedication could be the reason the flashbacks had returned.

"_Think, Don, think," He told himself bitterly, "you're an FBI agent for God's sake. Figure it out!" _

Don took a sip of coffee and was relieved to see that his hand was steady; good, he was calm once again. Suddenly, another memory surfaced, one involving a hostage situation that he had read about. There had been some similarities in that case to the events that he and Charlie had experienced with Schiller. Mainly that the hostage was the younger sister of an LAPD police officer and that he had arrived first on the scene. The perpetrator was high on crack and had a gun to the woman's head, threatening to shoot her if anyone came close to them. The man was in a highly agitated state and the officer knew that he had to do something fast or the guy would pull the trigger either on purpose or by accident because his hands were twitching uncontrollably. While the officer's partner was trying to talk the man into dropping his gun, he stepped to the side so that he could get a good, clean shot. His sister was shorter than the man so he knew it would be safer to go for a head shot but as he pulled the trigger the junkie stepped up on the curb, pulling the girl up along with him. Consequently, the bullet passed through the man's chest and into his sister's, killing them both instantly. The tragic accident took its toll on the veteran officer; unable to forgive himself for killing his own sister he took his own life a few weeks later.

"_That has to be it," Don reflected grimly_. He'd lost count of how many nightmares he'd had where his bullet had passed through Schiller's body and hit Charlie. That was the "demon" that fueled his flashbacks – it had to be. All of his doubts and "what if's" had returned after reading about the LAPD tragedy.

"There but for the grace of God, go I," the agent murmured softly, for he knew in his heart that if he had killed his brother he would not have been able to live with the guilt, especially after learning that Schiller had intended to take his own life and that it hadn't been necessary for him to shoot the man after all. Of course, Don hadn't known that at the time and it made little difference to him now because nothing could change the fact that when that fifth chime rang out he could have killed Charlie along with Schiller. His thoughts drifted back to something David had said to him at hospital.

"_That was an amazing shot, Don. Think about it; you were injured, one eye practically swollen shut and on top of all of that, you were exhausted." David shook his head in disbelief. "Man that had to be rough." _

Don hadn't seen it as amazing; lucky with a lot of help from the Almighty is how he saw it and nothing was going to change how he felt about that. Suddenly sensing that he was being watched, Don glanced at Robin.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly, her dark eyes watching him closely."It's getting worse, isn't it?"

"Ah…Sleeping Beauty awakes. I thought you were still asleep," Don teased, his eyes darting back to the road. He ignored her question but as he glanced at her again he noted the concerned look on her face so he quickly added. "I'm fine. I'm not really that tired."

"That's not what I meant and you know it too."

Don glanced in the rearview mirror to see if his Dad was awake; he didn't want him to know that he had been having problems, but Alan was still sound asleep.

"I can work it out," he retorted, in a harsher tone than he intended.

Robin's eyes flashed angrily. "All right," she said sarcastically, "let's just assume the requisite stoic Don Eppes posture."

He shrugged and stubbornly kept his eyes locked on the highway in front of him. "I told you-I can work this out."

"Really? What were you going to do if that convenience store hadn't come along?"

Surprised, his eyes darted toward her and then back to the road again. "I would've figured something out. Wait…you were awake?"

Robin regretted her anger immediately and spoke in a softer tone. "Yes, but I thought that you needed to be alone."

"Yeah," he nodded his throat suddenly thick with emotion. "I did. Thanks."

"Don, you can't go on like this-you need help." She gently squeezed his forearm. "I love you and it's hard for me to watch you suffer like this."

"I know and…and I'm sorry," he said, frowning as he checked the mirror once again to see if her voice had carried to the back seat but to his relief Alan's eyes remained closed. "I just need a little more time to figure this out-that's all."

Okay," she agreed, cocking her head to the side, "but promise me that if you're still having problems when we return to LA you will make an appointment with Dr. Bradford."

"Deal."

"I'm going to hold you to that, Agent Eppes."

Don grinned, glancing her way. "Would I lie to an Assistant District Attorney?"

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Not if you know what's good for you." She studied him for a moment then settled back in the seat. "Are you sure that you don't want me to drive?"

Don waved a hand dismissively. "Naw. Go back to sleep, I'll wake you if I start to get tired."

As she drifted off to sleep Don rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Maybe the flashbacks were the result of that tragic LAPD case and Tom's dedication ceremony. Was it possible that the combination of the two events could have brought his memories of the assault so vividly to the surface again?

The approaching headlights of another vehicle pushed his thoughts aside and he instinctively flicked off his high beams just as the car came into view. Unfortunately for him, the other car had not lowered his beams in time and Don had to blink rapidly to clear the bright spots from his eyes. He glanced at the dashboard, five forty, and then to the skyline. It would be getting daylight soon and then he wouldn't have to contend with the annoying headlights anymore. He made a mental note to give his brother a call when he reached a certain section of the mountain; cell service was intermittent in the mountains and there were only a few areas where you could actually get a signal.

Don slowed down for a particularly steep incline then powered up again to make the climb. As he dove along three pairs of bright eyes reflected back from the side of the road as three raccoons foraged for food along the highway.

As the road straightened out again his thoughts returned to the flashbacks; reliving the horror and pain that he had felt when he thought that Charlie had died. Suddenly he had an over-whelming desire to see his brother. Even though he knew that he was being foolish he just couldn't shake his uneasy feelings. The only thing that was going to ease his mind was hearing Charlie's voice and seeing him with his own eyes.

Impatiently, he scrubbed a hand through his hair. It would take twenty minutes to get to Windy Ridge where he could make the phone call and after that, another hour to Castle Rock.

Don sighed heavily and picked up his coffee cup; patience wasn't one of his virtues but he would have to make the best of it. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that the brew was still warm but as he took another swallow his brow furrowed when a sudden thought occurred to him. Since Charlie was so involved in his friend's dedication ceremony Don couldn't help but wonder if maybe his brother was experiencing a few nightmares too?

TBC

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews and alerts. I truly appreciate them._


	3. Chapter 3

Seasons

By 1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 3:

Born below the fog enshrouded peaks of Mount St. Helens, the strong northwest wind whipped over the exposed bedrock and pumice fields left in the wake of the massive eruption that had occurred there decades earlier. It flailed down the mountainside passing through the fir forests and deep valleys, buffeting a large herd of Elk as they walked slowly along the riverside. In response to the icy blast the herd lifted their noses to the air sniffing for danger but finding none quickly resumed their early morning forage for food without giving the breeze another thought.

The chilling wind continued on its journey, meandering through hill and dale as it gleefully chased the vehicles it found traversing the Pacific Northwest Highway. A particularly strong blast beat at a black SUV forcing its driver to grip the wheel tightly with both hands as he fought to keep the vehicle on the road. Tiring of the game the wind flew northward, leaving the SUV far behind it as it swirled over the dead forests near Windy Ridge then rippled through the living forest and fields along the highway.

The forceful wind blew outwards pushing the dark storm clouds in its path further northward leaving in its wake millions of bright stars twinkling in the dark morning sky. The mighty zephyr dipped and swirled over Johnston Ridge then whipped around the cabins that were nestled beneath the tall pines trees. Their branches dipped and thrashed against one another as it roared past them and continued on its path to Castle Rock.

Charlie cast a worried glance toward the window when a particularly strong gust hit the north side of the cabin and raged against the walls. He was relieved when the howling wind abruptly moved on but it left an eerie silence in its wake which he found a little disconcerting. It was still dark outside and the small lamp did little to dispel the many shadows cast about the room and as he looked around he could feel the hairs on his neck and arms beginning to rise. Charlie could find no apparent reason for his reaction to the sudden silence so he rubbed his arms briskly and snuggled deeper into the folds of his robe, forcing his thoughts back to the years that he had spent at Princeton University. They held very few pleasant memories for him; his young age as well as his brilliant mind had virtually made it impossible for him to socialize with his classmates. Tom had been the exception though and his friendship had made Charlie's stay there tolerable. That bond of friendship had grown even stronger after graduation and although both men had been busy pursuing their own careers they had made it a point to keep in touch but sadly all of that had ended a little less than year ago, when Tom had been murdered. Charlie himself had almost died by the same hand that had killed his friend but he had been luckier than Tom and the murderer had died instead – at the hands of his brother, Don.

Thomas Hill had spent his life traveling around the world researching volcanoes and when his employer, the US Geological Survey, sent him to study Mt. St. Helens he'd discovered a place that he could truly call home. The small community of Castle Rock had welcomed him with open arms and he had embraced them with a full heart. As the only child of two noted volcanologists he'd virtually grown up on mountainsides, never staying at one site for more than a couple of years so a place that he could call home had always been something that he had desired but was never within reach. However, during his years in Castle Rock he had developed close relationships with many of the town's residents, and had become a sort of _adopted son_ to the small community. When he wasn't mulling over his research or working on the mountainside he would spend his spare time working with the local Big Brother's organization or helping out at the homeless center.

Tom's horrific death had hit the close-knit community hard and afterwards the small town of Castle Rock had petitioned the Park Service to re-name one of the trails that led to the crater of Mt. St. Helens after Tom as a way to honor his memory. Upon hearing about it, Charlie and Larry had joined their efforts with gusto bringing with them resources that the small community would not normally have had access too; mainly Charlie's extensive contacts with government agencies, specifically the U.S. Forest Service. The young man had taken it a step further; not only was a trail being named after Tom but he had also commissioned a memorial plaque to be placed in the town park as well.

Tomorrow Tom would have turned thirty-nine and Charlie had asked the town council if they could unveil the dedication plaque on his friend's birthday instead of the anniversary of his death because he wanted to celebrate Tom's life and not dwell on his loss. It was time to move on he told them and time to rejoice in the wonderful memories that they had all shared with Tom. The town council had not only agreed but had fully embraced the idea. They had decided to make it an annual event; a town fair, complete with picnics, games, bake sales and other fund-raisers with all proceeds going to the local big brother's organization that Tom was so proud of.

Thomas Hill had left everything he owned to Charlie, the only person, other than his parents, that he had claimed as family. He had proudly called Charlie "his little brother" a title that he had bestowed on the young man while they were together at Princeton, so it was only natural for Tom to leave his worldly possessions to him which included the cabin that Charlie was currently sitting in.

Charlie's first thought had been to sell the cabin but in the end found that he simply couldn't part with it. Instead he and Amita had turned it into a vacation home for themselves and their family and friends.

The young man's eyes drifted around the cabin, his thoughts growing darker as his gaze dropped to the floor in front of the sofa - **Tom had also died here**. He shifted around to get more comfortable; leaning his left elbow on the arm of the sofa while he cupped his chin with his hand.

"_What if…..what if I hadn't been so busy that week?" he mused in despair. "What if I had been able to work on Don's case right away? I might have been able to save Tom's life and…and maybe Sean's too."_

As if in a trance, he watched a familiar scene play across his mind, one that he would rather forget; his breath quickened and his heart began to race. Absently, he brought his fisted right hand to his lips and tapped them lightly; the muscles in his jaw tightening reflexively as the memory took full control of him.

_Charlie slumped back in his office chair; he couldn't believe what he was seeing, the circumstantial evidence that he had uncovered was quickly adding up to an unbelievable scenario that he was having trouble assimilating. Charlie had never liked Schiller but he certainly never thought that the man was capable of murder…and yet logic was telling him otherwise. He glanced sideways at the photograph on his desk and stared at the picture of Schiller. If his former professor really did go to Seattle then it was logical to assume that Sean was going to be his next victim. Eleven days had passed between the Crandall and Brogan murders so if Schiller continued to follow that pattern then he had time to warn Sean and Tom._

_He rolled his chair back over to the computer and tapped a few keys, then googled Sean's name in Seattle in an effort to get a working number for him. Much to his surprise the only reference to a Sean Leavens that he could find was an obituary notice. He held his breath as he clicked on the notice; it had to be another Sean Leavens….right…it just couldn't be the one that was in the school photograph. _

_Charlie swallowed hard and looked away, stunned by his discovery. The murders were escalating; Sean and Alicia's murders were only two days apart not eleven. Suddenly his eyes jerked back to the picture and his friend Thomas Hill. _

"_Oh my God!" he exclaimed out loud. "Castle Rock is only three hours from Seattle!" He rose from his chair in a panic and hurried over to another chair where he had tossed his blazer. Frantically he searched through his jacket pockets until he found his cell phone and quickly scrolled through his contact list: he'd call and warn Tom first then contact Don with his discovery. _

_Phone to his ear, Charlie paced back and forth in front of the windows: nervously scrubbing a hand through his curls while he waited for his friend to pick up the phone. _

"_Come on Tom…pick up." He hissed desperately as he listened to it ring but as before Tom's voice mail answered his call. _

"_Tom, this is Charlie and you've got to listen to me!" the young man cried out urgently, stopping in mid-stride. "I know this is going to sound crazy but you have to believe me. You're in danger and you have to get out of there….go to the police…or…or somewhere that you aren't alone. If Professor Schiller from Princeton shows up….run! The man is killing his former students…please! Tom….you have to hurry!" The sound of a beep signaled the end to his message and he cried out in desperation. "No…no…don't cut me off!"_

_Charlie ended the call and suddenly the silence in the room seemed almost palpable. He stared blankly at his desk as a wave of despair enveloped him like a blanket and he bowed his head; the hand holding the phone dropping listlessly to his side. "What if I'm too late?" he whispered in anguish but just as quickly he shook his head fiercely, denying that very thought._

"_No, I won't believe that." Charlie cried out loud, strengthening his resolve. "I've got to call Don." _

_The words had barely escaped his lips when Charlie heard a noise behind him. His head snapped up and he went cold inside as he heard the gentle thud of the door closing behind him followed immediately by a dull metallic click when the lock was snapped in place. _

_Charlie turned around slowly, his eyes flitting briefly over the desk and Don's note; too late he recalled his brother's descriptions of the man that he had seen lurking around his office that afternoon, they would fit Schiller perfectly. A cold shiver suddenly ran up his spine because he knew all too well who was standing behind him._

"_I overheard your phone message Professor so it's useless to pretend that you don't know what I've been doing." Ludwig informed him tilting his head to the side as he studied the young man. "I must say that you have caught me by surprise. I suppose I should have considered the possibility that your brother would be working on the Brogan case and that you would be consulting for him."_

_Charlie's face paled suddenly." I was too late." He agonized in a barely audible voice. Grief-stricken over his sudden realization he turned his head and closed his eyes. When he turned back to face Schiller a few seconds later his eyes glowed with unshed tears but he set his jaw as anger began to course through him. _

"_Tom….Tom is already dead or you wouldn't be standing here now!" Charlie cried out bitterly. It wasn't a question, just a statement of fact; one that he knew in his heart was true. "You bastard!" he shouted furiously, clenching his fists and surging forward recklessly._

"_Stop!" Ludwig commanded, waving the gun around to get his attention. _

Charlie shuddered then shook his head to clear his mind of the traumatic memory. It had been months since he had suffered through a flashback, especially one as graphic as this one had been, and he had hoped that he was over them. Dr. Bradford had told him that even though he was recovering from the ordeal there was still a chance that he could experience the flashbacks again and had warned him that sometimes it took years to recover from such a horrific assault.

The young man's hand trembled slightly as he wiped at the sweat forming on his upper lip and took a deep breath in an effort to slow his breathing, trying to regain control of his emotions; he hated the vivid memories and wanted desperately to forget them. His thoughts drifted back to his friend and his heart saddened as he thought of Tom, knowing all too well the mental and physical pain that he had suffered that dreadful night. Charlie was certain that his own feelings had mirrored Tom's during those long, tortuous hours before Schiller had pulled the trigger and released the deadly bullet that had ended his life.

Sometimes, like now, Charlie would feel guilty for being alive. His emotions would be so raw and agonizing at times that he would experience such a deep sense of guilt and sorrow that was so over-whelming that he actually regretted surviving at all.

"_Noooo, Charlie. Don't ever think that."_ The haunting whisper-soft voice was back, repeating the same message again.

Charlie gasped and stiffened up; cocking his head to the side as he listened intently for the voice to speak again but all he could hear was the incessant wind blowing outside of the cabin. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the room once again then suddenly whipped his head to the right. What was that? At the very edge of his peripheral vision he thought that he had seen a dark, shadowy form moving across the room. It appeared to pause by the desk before vanishing into thin air but no matter how long or how hard he stared at the dark corner he could find no proof that anyone had been standing there.

"It's just the wind," he whispered anxiously, eyes riveted to the space around the desk, "and my…my imagination."

Some people believed that the ghosts of people that had died a violent death would return to haunt the places where they had been murdered so that they could make the living suffer because their own lives had been taken from them. Charlie was a scientist though and didn't believe in such things. Nevertheless, his dark brown eyes searched the shadows within the cabin again but he found no evidence that his friend's unsettled spirit was roaming through the rooms.

"I don't sense any hostility here," Charlie murmured to himself, trying to rationalize his experience. "Actually, it's quite the opposite." He forced himself to relax and eased back against the cushions. "I feel nothing but a sense of peace and well-being in this house."

If it were true that ghosts or spirits existed, not that he was agreeing that they did, of course then his feelings would be true to Tom's spirit because his friend had been a gentle soul and never wished harm to anyone. But Thomas had not been a saint either, and Charlie couldn't suppress a grin when a few of their more "infamous" exploits came to mind. The man could lose his temper just like anyone else but Hill would usually calm down quickly and deal with the situation rationally.

Charlie closed his eyes, remembering Tom's initial reaction to the badge that Penfield had worn during his presentation of The Eppes Convergence and how he had so easily deflected Charlie's own anger. Thomas had also been right in predicting that Charlie would win The Milton Prize too and a few months later they'd shared a grin at the stunned expression on Penfield's face when it was announced.

"Dreaming?"

Amita's soft voice filled him with warmth and brought him quickly back to the present. Charlie opened his eyes and looked up; he had been so lost in thought that he hadn't heard her enter the room. Before he spoke he shifted around, putting his feet on the floor to make room for her on the couch. "Actually, it's more like I was re-visiting an old memory."

"Ah," Amita replied knowingly, her forehead wrinkling with concern."You're thinking about Tom, aren't you? "She searched his face, dismayed by the tell tale signs that something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…sure. " Charlie replied quickly, hoping to change the subject; he didn't want her to know about the flashback. "I still miss him….that's all." He ducked his head and looked away, running his fingers nervously through his curls.

"Charlie?" Amita asked worriedly, sitting down next to him. She reached for his hands and squeezed them gently. "It happened again, didn't it?"

He hesitated, denial on the tip of his tongue, then reluctantly met her gaze and nodded his head. "I was hoping the flashbacks were over."

"Dr. Bradford said that it would take a while before you stopped having them." She gently reminded him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head. "Not right now…I just need a little time…okay?"

"Sure." She said leaning over to give him a gentle kiss. "I'll be here whenever you're ready to talk about it."

A distant clap of thunder suddenly rattled the house prompting both of them to turn and look toward the windows. Their eyes met briefly then they rose to their feet and crossed the room to the front door. Charlie flung it open then stepped out on the covered front porch, shivering as he padded barefoot across the cold planks. He stopped at the edge of the steps and peered up at the dark sky then retreated quickly to the open doorway when a strong gust of wind threatened to whip open his robe.

"Ooh," Amita exclaimed with a shudder, "that air is really cool. Won't it be too cold for us to go hiking?"

"The wind will warm up as soon as the sun rises." Charlie said, glancing up at the dark sky again. "Look over there," he said pointing westward, "the storm clouds are gone and the stars are out. Don't worry, the only cold wind will be at the top of the mountain and we'll be dressed for it.

"I hope so. It would be a shame to have Tom's dedication ceremony ruined by the weather."

"Yeah, it would." Charlie agreed, taking a step back to make room for Amita as she moved further into the cabin.

"I think I'll put a pot of coffee on." She shivered slightly in the early morning air then pulled the belt on her robe tighter as she turned back toward the kitchen.

Charlie absently closed the front door as he watched her cross the floor. Anxiously his eyes flitted around the cabin again, recalling the mysterious voice and strange shadow that he thought he had seen and heard earlier. Charlie recognized that voice now and realized that in his nervous state he must have imagined it; there could be no other rational explanation.

"_It's not as if Tom can come back from the dead and talk to me_." He muttered bitterly under his breath.

The young man glanced sideways at the curtained windows as another strong gust of wind swept across the porch but was relieved to see that they remained still. Not long after he had decided to keep the cabin they had discovered several mice holes in the walls, and one of them had been directly beneath the window; the movement of the curtains on a windy day like this one had given its location away. Immediately after that, he'd hired a contractor to check over the cabin and make repairs; the lack of moving curtains today was a testimony to how well the man had done his job.

Even so, he felt a sudden chill and tightened his own belt before following his wife to the kitchen.

"What time do we need to meet the ranger?" She asked, turning to offer him a cup of the freshly brewed java.

He grasped the warm mug with both hands, letting its warmth seep into him, and then took a small sip before answering her. "Hmmmm," he mumbled approvingly. "We're supposed to meet him at the Climbers Bivouac by 8:45."

Amita glanced at the kitchen clock and frowned. "I hope the guys get here in time."

"Don't worry," Charlie said, setting down his cup and leaning against the breakfast bar, "I spoke with Don last night and he said they were planning on leaving early enough to get here before 7:00."

"That's goo...oood." Amita yawned widely before finishing her sentence. "Sorry," she added, smiling apologetically.

"Maybe you should go back to bed." Charlie teased, closing the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Or we could both go back to bed." He suggested softly before his lips touched hers.

Amita stepped into his kiss then wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers running through his dark curls. Desire and rationality warred within her and when their lips finally parted she grudgingly replied. "Actually, we need to shower and get dressed. It's almost six so they'll probably be here in an hour."

"We'll have time," Charlie whispered, his voice husky with desire. His lips locked with hers in a passionate kiss as his hands slipped beneath her robe. "Hmmm," he teased, his eyes lighting up mischievously as his fingers brushed against bare flesh. "I thought that you were cold."

"Not anymore," she whispered breathlessly, pressing her body against his.

Suddenly the phone began to ring, its shrill sound startling the two lovers.

"Nooo," Charlie groaned irritably, raising his head to eye the intrusive object. He glanced down at his wife again and murmured thickly. "I should probably get that."

"Let it ring," she purred, pulling his head down for another kiss.

"If that's Don…he… won't…be….in…cell range…very…long," he mumbled between kisses. "Hold that thought, I'll be right back." Reluctantly, he broke contact and hurried over to the desk. Cell phone service was intermittent in the mountains at best so most of their calls came in over the land line.

Charlie glanced at the incoming number then grabbed the receiver. "Hey, bro. Where are you?"

"Hey, buddy. It's good to hear your voice." Don's tired voice resonated over the air waves. "We're passing through Windy Ridge now so we should be there in about an hour."

"That's great," Charlie replied his eyes on Amita as she walked around the breakfast bar. "Ah…did you guys have any breakfast?"

"No, we didn't want to waste any time," Don answered. "We wanted to make sure that we got there in time for the hike."

"Good, then I'm going to suggest a big breakfast when you get here because we'll need all of the energy that we can get to make our climb."

Amita had followed Charlie to the desk and intentionally brushed up against him, her dark eyes full of desire. "I'll think I'll go take a shower," she whispered in a sultry voice.

"That sounds good to me Charlie; my stomach's already starting to growl," Don said, speaking at the same time as Amita.

"Now?" Charlie whispered back, suddenly in a panic. _No, that wasn't right; she had to wait for him._

"Huh? Now….now what?" Don's confused voice echoed over the phone. "Listen; did you hear what I said? Never mind. Whatever you have planned will be fine, Charlie."

Mesmerized by the swaying of his wife's hips as she sashayed across the room Charlie forgot that he was on the phone.

"Charlie? Hey, are you there?"

"Ah…yeah…uhm….you know…I'm sorry," he replied apologetically, his eyes still firmly latched on his wife. "What did you say?"

"I said a big breakfast will be fine."

Charlie cleared his throat, doing his best to concentrate on the call. "That's ….that's good."

"What about me?"Alan's voice suddenly bellowed in the background. "I'm not going on the hike, remember?"

"Catch you later, bro," Don chuckled, "I'm going to pass the phone to Dad."

"Ah…right…sure."

"Hey Charlie."

"Hey Dad," Charlie replied , intently watching Amita as she came to a stop beside the bedroom door, "uh… how's the trip so far?"

"It's been great Charlie but I'm ready to stretch these old legs of mine. Oh...and...ah…I was only joking; whatever you have planned works for me too."

"Charlie," Amita purred seductively, "I believe the shower is big enough for two." With that she dropped her robe to the floor.

"_Ohhh_," Charlie moaned softly, "that is_ sooo_ not fair." Amita giggled then disappeared into the bedroom.

"What? What did you say Charlie?" Alan asked. "Was that Amita's voice? How is she?"

"She's….she's ah...she's just fine, Dad," Charlie stammered out, desperately looking for a nice way to end the phone call.

"Did she say something about a shower?"

Charlie blushed, suddenly feeling like he was a little kid again and had been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. "She…ah…she just reminded me that I still need to take a shower."

"Okay then, we'll see you soon."

"Right, Dad. See you later."

Charlie practically threw the receiver on the phone then hurriedly crossed the room to the bedroom. He was greeted with the sound of running water and as he picked up Amita's robe and shut the door behind him his dark eyes began to glow with the heat of desire.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_Seasons_

_By 1__st__ Endeavor_

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews_

Chapter 4:

_The shimmering, bright light had returned, attempting to draw him into it, but Tom recoiled from its touch. Whispering, familiar voices urged him to step into the light but he wasn't ready to go with them; there was an important matter left undone, unfinished._

_In a split second his life had ended and now he wandered through a world that he could still see but could no longer interact with. He was no longer afraid or in pain but he had a sense of sadness and regret that others would have to pick up what he had been forced to let fall. _

_His gaze drifted around his old home, coming to rest on the young man sitting on the sofa: Charlie still needed him. Tom gazed sadly at his young friend; somehow there had to be ways that he could reach him and make him understand that it was time to let go….time to let him go. _

_This ethereal form of existence confused him and left him in a state of perpetual uncertainty. He still felt the same as he had in life and had all of his old memories but he also had new ones too, and yet, he had no body….. no corporeal form. Despite this fact Tom had stood in Charlie's office when Schiller attacked him and had tried to intervene but he had no substance and could only watch helplessly as Schiller brutally beat his friend. Afterwards, he sat by Charlie's hospital bed along with Alan and Don urging him to wake up. Tom had been able to make contact with him then, only Charlie had thought that he had just been a figment of his imagination._

_Thomas Hill had stood on Johnston Ridge beside his friend when Charlie released his ashes to the wind and had soared over the valley seemingly free of all earthly bonds….save one…and unknowingly that one kept pulling him back._

_There had been a few occasions where Tom was sure that Charlie had heard him but each time his friend would find some logical reason to explain it away. He had tried to help Don as well, but just like his brother he_ _refused to acknowledge his existence. Tom was going to have to come up with a more drastic measure to get their attention and it had to be something that Charlie's analytical mind wouldn't be able to reason away. To that end he had already set a plan in motion and tomorrow at his dedication ceremony Tom would see it come to fruition. It would be a shock to Charlie and Don but he sensed that this was the only way that he could get them both to move on. _

_Tom stepped further into the shadows and watched in silence as Amita emerged from the bedroom and joined her husband on the sofa. He was glad that she was there for Charlie and regretted never having the chance to meet her while he was alive. He grinned at their antics and smiled fondly at Charlie's tortured expression while he was on the phone with his brother; laughing out loud as his friend raced to the bedroom door. He could have followed them; doors and walls were no longer barriers for him, and although he had hardly left Charlie's side since his death there were times like this that he would keep his distance. In life he had loved the young man as if he was his "little brother" and although Charlie would never know that he was watching him he still refused to betray the friendship they had shared by viewing the intimate moments that Charlie shared with his wife; Tom had not been a voyeur in life and had no intention of becoming one now. _

_Instead he turned his gaze back to the shimmering light. It was beginning to dim, fading away as it accepted the fact that he was not ready to join them yet. Tom knew it would be back for him and hoped that the next time he would be able to step into the light and leave this lonely existence behind. _

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"Charlie sounded a little distracted." Alan remarked, frowning as he passed Don's cell phone over the front seat to Robin. "I hope he's not coming down with something."

"They're probably just waking up," Robin said reassuringly with a glance at her watch. "It isn't even six-o'clock yet."

"They got more sleep than we did," Don grumbled good-naturedly, hiding a relieved grin as he took a sip of coffee; distracted or not, just hearing his brother's voice had helped to ease his unsettled nerves.

"Tell me about it." Larry mumbled sarcastically from the rear; the diminutive professor had been snoring until the phone conversation had begun.

"What are you complaining about? " Alan huffed, tucking a small pillow behind his head. "You've been sleeping ever since we left the motel."

But Larry was already starting to drift off again and didn't respond to Alan's comments. "Figures," Alan grumbled irritably closing his own eyes.

Grinning over the antics of the two men Robin shifted around in her seat to face Don. "I'm really looking forward to the hike up Mt. St. Helens." She took a sip of coffee and tucked a strand of her shoulder length brown hair behind an ear. "You haven't hiked it before either, have you?"

"No," Don answered, slowing down as he rounded a sharp curve, "but Charlie has. He climbed it several times with Tom and because Tom worked for the US Geological Survey he was able to get special permission to take Charlie inside the crater too."

"Charlie took his death pretty hard, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did," Don said, frowning. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure that he is completely over it yet. I'm hoping this dedication will help him find some closure."

Robin eyed him thoughtfully. She wasn't so sure that Don was over it either but she didn't want to get into to it in front of his Dad so she changed the subject. "I thought that we were going to get to see the crater too."

"Don't worry, we will see it, we just won't be allowed to enter the crater.

"Oh, that's good."

Shafts of light began to filter through the graying darkness around them as they drove along the mountainous highway; daylight had finally arrived. Patches of blue sky were appearing in the gray morning sky and the dark storm clouds were disappearing over the distant horizon. In a matter of minutes the sun was rising over the mountain and the surrounding forests began to take shape around them. Gray and black shadows that only seconds before had been invisible in the darkness began to morph into individual entities….some living and some dead.

"Oh my!" Robin exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand. "I've seen pictures of this but in person it's…it's just so stark….and haunting."

As far as the eye could see, blackened tree trunks stood amid the scorched earth; silent testimonials to the powerful explosion that had rocked Mt. St Helens in 1980, destroying 153,000 acres of forest in the process. When the volcano erupted the first trees in the path of the blast became part of the gas cloud that descended down the mountainside. As the force began to decline it blew all of the standing trees down and beyond that, the trees that were left standing were incinerated in the intense heat.

"That's a sobering sight, isn't it?" Don asked somberly, glancing briefly at the woods to his right. "Those standing dead tree forests are known as ghost forests. I learned all about them when Dad and I drove up with Charlie to attend Tom's funeral last year."

"I can understand why they're called ghost forests," she said softly, her eyes locked on the scorched landscape. "They look so…so…gray...and lifeless. I get an eerie feeling just looking at them. It's hard to imagine the kind of power that it would take to cause so much destruction."

"Twenty- four megatons of thermal energy." Fleinhardt mumbled sleepily from the back seat.

"What?" Robin asked, her head swiveling around to face Don.

The agent shrugged his shoulders and glanced in the rear view mirror. "I thought you were asleep, Larry."

When no answer was forthcoming, Robin twisted around so she could view the back seat then faced Don with an amused expression on her face. "He is asleep."

"He's just like Charlie," the agent chuckled, "even in his sleep he talks like a scientist."

Robin laughed then stared out the window again; her mirth fading as they drove along. An eerie silence fell between them as Forest Road 99 took them through acres and acres of the decimated forest; it's devastation a stark reminder of how fragile life really was.

The mountainous road was full of dips and turns so it was a slow drive through the darkened forest and it was a relief to both of them when the morning light began to reveal signs of life growing between the burnt patches of dead woods and soon after, they entered the living forest once again.

Robin broke the silence first. "Now that's a beautiful sight. "

"It sure is." Don agreed, releasing a relieved breath.

The young woman searched the road ahead then glanced sideways at Don. "Ah… do you think that we could make a pit stop soon."

The agent nodded, bringing the SUV to a stop at an intersection then took the 503 spur towards the small town of Cougar. He glanced at the gas gauge and frowned; he'd have to fill up before they crossed the mountain.

"We'll gas up in Cougar," Don told her. "It's the last place to get gas on this side of the mountain and they have a public rest area there.

"Good," Robin sighed, relieved by the news. "I was starting to get a little anxious."

Don laughed, "Yeah me too.

Twenty-one miles later the small town of Cougar came into view. The town consisted of a restaurant, store, rest area, a private campground and a gas station. Don veered off the road and eased the SUV alongside of the gas pump.

"This is really a town?" Robin asked doubtfully, gazing at the few standing buildings as she climbed out of the car.

"Sure is," Don chuckled, twisting off the cap to the gas tank. "Rest rooms are over there."

She turned in the direction that he had nodded and hurried over to the building.

"Dad?" Don called out, rapping on the passenger window. "Larry? If you guys need to _take care of_ _business_ now would be a good time."

"Mmm fine," Larry mumbled drifting back to sleep.

Alan opened one bleary eye then shifted around to get more comfortable." Me too," he grumbled falling back to sleep.

"Yeah…well don't say that I didn't ask." Don warned them, returning the hose to the gas pump just as Robin sidled up next to him. They entered the station together and while he paid for the gas she sauntered over to the coffee counter. Robin had just finished filling up a second cup when Don joined her.

"Better get two more," he said, placing an empty Styrofoam cup beneath the coffee machine.

"Why? They're both asleep."

Don snapped the lid on the full cup then reached for another empty one. "I have a feeling that they'll both be awake by the time we get back to the car."

"Really? What makes you so sure?"

"Wanna make a bet on it?"Don asked, giving her a wolfish grin. "I can think of a very interesting bet to make."

"I'm sure you can," Robin said, inclining her head and staring at him suspiciously. "But I don't think I'll take your bet," she replied slowly, "you're way too confident. I'm not an assistant district attorney for nothing, Eppes. Come on…give it up. How'd you know?"

"Ahhh…you got me." He confessed with a grin. "I saw them get out of the car while I was paying for the gas."

"Hah!" She exclaimed victoriously. "You can't fool me that easily."

"Yeah…yeah." Don chuckled, placing the four cups in a carrying container then nodded at some pastries sitting on the counter."Let's get some of those or my stomach's going to be growling all the way to Charlie's."

Robin picked up a box of freshly baked doughnuts that had just been delivered from a bakery in Castle Rock and followed the agent to the cash register. Don helped her carry the stuff to the car then quickly disappeared to take advantage of the rest rooms. When he returned a few minutes later Robin, Alan and Larry were all munching contentedly on the doughnuts.

"Hey, save me one of those." He teased as he hopped behind the wheel and pulled out onto the highway.

"Don't worry," Alan chuckled, passing the box back up to Robin. "There's plenty to go around."

"Hmmm," Don said a few minutes later after biting into one of the doughnuts. "This is really good."

Robin nodded her head in agreement then took a sip of coffee. "How much further is it to the cabin?"

"Not far," he answered, pausing to swallow. "Another fifteen minutes and we should be there."

True to his word after another fourteen and a half minutes he rounded a bend in the road and the entrance to Castle Rock Cottages came into view.

000000000000000

It was the roar of the SUV engine as it drove up the driveway that gave Charlie and Amita the first clue that they had run out of time.

"Oh, my God!" Amita exclaimed frantically, scrambling to get her blouse buttoned. "They're here!"

The two of them had enjoyed the "shower" so much that they had lost track of the time and were now rushing to get dressed so that they could greet their family.

"Yeah, I got that." Charlie commented dryly as he hurriedly slipped on his jeans. He had dried quickly but droplets of water still clung to the dark hairs on his chest and back as he sat down on the bed to put on his socks and shoes. He hopped up a few seconds later, scooped up his shirt and strode rapidly toward the door.

"Ready?" he asked, sparing her a brief glance before flinging open the bedroom door. He shrugged into his tee shirt on the way to the front door but because his chest and back were still wet it was clinging to him so he was still struggling to get it in place when he jerked the door open.

They stepped out on the porch just as Don, Robin, Alan and Larry clamored out of the SUV.

"Hey, it's good to see you." Charlie exclaimed warmly, giving his Dad and Robin a light hug. He patted Larry on the shoulder before walking around to the rear of the car to greet Don as he popped open the trunk. Amita smiled, hugged them all then took Robin inside to show her the cabin.

Charlie clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Wow, you guys really made the trip in good time."

"I told you we would be here before seven, bro," Don grinned, hooking an arm around his brother's neck in a light embrace. He let him go quickly and began to unload the luggage, hoping that Charlie wouldn't see how relieved he was when he touched him; the anxiety he'd felt earlier all but disappeared with the physical contact. "We made it with five minutes to spare."

"Well, I think that we should give some of the credit to the wind," Alan said wryly, picking up his suitcase."Some of those gusts were so strong that I thought we were going to take flight."

Larry picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. "You know, Alan," he said thoughtfully, tapping a finger against his lips, "in mountainous areas, local distortion of the airflow can become severe."

"Oh no," Don groaned softly, sharing an amused glance with his brother and father.

Unperturbed, Larry went into lecture mode as they unloaded the car. "Jagged terrain combines to produce unpredictable flow patterns and turbulence, such as rotors, which can be topped by lenticular clouds."

"Ah, Larry?"

But the professor was too caught up in his explanation and motioned animatedly with his hands as he continued to speak. "Strong updrafts, downdrafts and eddies can develop as the air flows over hills and down valleys."

"That's what I said,Larry_, strong_ gusts of wind pushed us along the highway." Alan said quickly, seeing his chance to get a word in. "Right?"

Larry paused, one finger in the air, momentarily distracted by Alan's comment. "Ah…right."

Charlie chuckled, clapping his friend on the back. "Come on Larry, let's get this stuff inside."

The three bedroom cottage boasted of one large bedroom which of course, was occupied by Charlie and Amita and two smaller rooms; one furnished with a full size bed and the other, two twin size beds. Alan and Larry were sharing the bedroom with the twin beds while Don and Robin took the other one. Since time was an issue they didn't bother to unpack but hurried to the kitchen to have breakfast before they left to meet up with the ranger at the Climbers bivouac.

While Amita and Charlie cooked the others set the table and soon they were all enjoying healthy portions of eggs, toast, and sausage. Amid lively conversation plates were emptied and coffee cups were filled, drained and filled again.

"Amita, this mountain air must agree with you." Alan said, smiling at his daughter-in-law. "You're cheeks are positively rosy this morning."

"Ah... thank you Alan," she blushed, turning an even deeper red. "Wow, these eggs taste really good this morning," Amita added in a desperate attempt to change the subject; it was far more likely that her rosy glow was due to her recent sexual activities than to the mountain air. "Don't you think so, Charlie?"

Charlie had ducked his head as soon as Alan had finished his sentence, concentrating on his breakfast in an attempt to avoid getting drawn into the conversation but he could tell from the tone of Amita's voice that he had better join in.

"Ah…yeah ….they ah…really hit the spot," he stammered, blushing slightly. 'Hmmm…ah…I think I need some more coffee." He grabbed his cup and headed for the counter planning to stay there until his color returned to normal.

Don's eyes had flickered between Charlie and Amita while he ate his breakfast and he'd noted the secretive glances between them. Her deepening color when Alan had complimented her and then Charlie's blush as he left the table had given him his final clue. Sensing an opportunity to tease his brother Don grabbed his mug and rose from the table.

"I could use a little more coffee myself."The agent announced, strolling casually over to the counter. He positioned himself behind Charlie as if he was waiting his turn to fill up his cup but leaned down and whispered in his brother's ear.

"That must have been one** _long_**, _**hot**_**,** and **_steamy _**shower, bro."

"What…what are you talking about?" Charlie squeaked, turning a deep crimson and almost dropping the coffee decanter.

"It's simple math, Chuck", Don smirked, reaching over to take the decanter from his hand.

"Math, huh?" Charlie's asked, turning around to face his brother. "You're going to teach me about math?"

"That's right bro," Don replied smugly, thoroughly enjoying himself. "For instance, the way the two of you kept sneaking looks at one another tells me that there's something that you don't want us to know… that's number one."

Really?" Charlie crossed his arms, deliberately assuming his professor persona in an attempt to throw his brother off track. "And what other empirical evidence do you have to base your theory on?"

"Empirical evidence, huh?" Don snickered. "Well, number two is the fact that you both keep blushing. " He held up two fingers then added a third before Charlie could protest. "Number three is the condition of your shirt."

"My shirt?" Charlie exclaimed defensively, sparing his shirt a brief glance. "What's wrong with my shirt?" So much for trying to throw Don off track, when his brother got wind of something he was like a dog with a bone and he would keep at it until he was satisfied.

"Your shirt is wet in a number of places suggesting that you put it on while you were still wet."

"I…I could have spilled some water on it."

Don arched an eyebrow. "That's possible, but doubtful since the back of your shirt is also wet. O, yeah, and then there's number four."

Charlie cleared his throat and asked in a skeptical tone. "Four?"

Don reached over and tapped the ends of his brother's hair. "You were going to take a shower when we finished talking and that was almost an hour ago but your curls are still wet." He held up four fingers and wriggled them at him. "So one, two, three and four equal one _long_, **hot, **_steamy _shower for two." He chuckled and pointed two of his fingers at his own eyes then back at Charlie's. "I see everything, man. It's what I do, remember?" Don glanced over his shoulder to make sure that no one had heard them then turned back, keeping his voice low. "I told you, Chuck, I see everything. Just like I figured it out when the two of you were trying to keep your engagement a secret, remember?"

Charlie rolled his eyes and picked up his coffee cup. "Dad told you about the engagement….and don't call me Chuck."

"Well…yeah…but I knew something was up." Don retorted defensively, his confidence taken down a bit. "I'm right about this, though…right?"

No longer blushing, Charlie stepped up beside of Don and gazed at his big brother. Brown eyes met brown eyes, both shining with an identical mischievous light.

"That, my dear brother, is an answer that you're never going to get," Charlie replied, the corners of his lips turning upwards in a secretive smile. He turned away and with a slight swagger to his step rejoined the others at the table.

The agent watched his brother walk away and nodded to himself. _He was right…he just knew it!_ Don stuck his tongue in his cheek to keep from grinning as he sat down opposite Charlie and tried to concentrate on the conversation at the table. Charlie's deliberate refusal to look at him was making it more difficult for him to keep his mouth shut and he was just about to say something else when Robin elbowed him in the ribs.

Surprised, he looked over and whispered. "Ow! What's that for?"

"For tormenting your younger brother."

Don's jaw dropped. "How did…?"

Robin interrupted him before he could finish and leaned closer. "You're not the only one who can put two and two together, Agent Eppes." She grinned broadly then came to Charlie's rescue by changing the subject and asking about Tom.

"Charlie, tell me about Tom? He was Don's age, right?"

"That's right."

"So he was someone older that you looked up to at Princeton." She smiled softly. "It must have been nice to have someone there besides your Mom that you could relate too, you know, a friend that could help keep you on the right path and out of trouble."

Larry chuckled. "Oh my dear, I'm afraid that you're forgetting that Tom was just a young man himself and, as such, was prone to the many pitfalls that befall all young men of a certain age. So suffice it to say that he did lead young Charles astray on a few occasions."

"Really?" Alan huffed. "Do tell."

"No way, "Don exclaimed in surprise. "Mom always bragged about Tom, said he was level headed and that she could rely on him to keep you from getting into any trouble."

Charlie grinned smugly, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "It's true. We did have our moments."

"Okay, let's hear it." Don demanded. "We have a little time before we have to leave."

Charlie and Larry exchanged glances then spoke one word simultaneously, "The keg party!"

Alan's eyes widened in surprise; leaning forward he peered at his youngest over the tops of his glasses. "Keg party? Margaret never said anything about a keg party."

"That's because she never found out about it, Dad."Charlie smirked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Larry leaned forward conspiratorially. "Alan, there is a highly secretive tradition at Princeton that the senior students keep from their parents. It's sort of a _rite of passage, _if you will_,_ that all seniors try to observe before they graduate. Obviously, it is not sanctioned by the University but they tend to _look the_ _other way_ as long as things don't get out of hand."

"Wait. You were supposed to throw a keg party?" Don asked in disbelief, staring at his brother. "You were still in puberty, kid. There's no way you would have been able to throw a party."

"Hah," Larry exclaimed gleefully, throwing his hands in the air, "that is where the intrepid Mr. Hill entered the picture."

Stunned at the revelation, Alan stared at his youngest. "How did you manage to get that by your Mother?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "Mom wasn't there, she had gone home to attend a function for Don and I convinced her to let me stay at Princeton. I simply told her that I needed to study for my finals."

"You were just sixteen," Alan said disapprovingly. Frowning he turned to face Fleinhardt. "Larry, you knew about this?"

"Actually, Alan, I found out about it in a rather "round about" way," he replied, shaking his head at the memory, "and, if I may point out in my defense, my involvement came about after the deed was done."

Amita tilted her head to the side, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "But Charlie, didn't you tell me that Marshall stole the keg?"

Before Charlie could answer Don leaned around Robin to catch Amita's eye. "Marshall Penfield?" When she nodded he turned to face his brother. "So, somehow you managed to get a party together but Penfield stole the keg?" He let out a soft whistle."No wonder you two didn't get along."

Alan stretched out his hand and tapped his youngest on the forearm. "Ah…you are going to tell us the story, right?"

Charlie's eyes drifted around the table, noting the eagerness in their eyes. He'd never spoken to anyone about that weekend, had never shared the story with another living soul. It had been an experience that he and Tom had kept between themselves, not even Larry had heard the full story.

But Tom was gone now so perhaps it was time to share those experiences with the people that were closest to him, and in doing so, maybe it would help him move on. He didn't think that Tom would mind, and besides he told himself, the story would give his family a better understanding of the man that they had all gathered together to honor.

_Tom's ghost moved from the shadows and stopped behind his friend's chair. "It's okay Charlie," he whispered softly. "I would like to hear the story again too."_

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_Seasons_

_By 1__st__ endeavor_

_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1_

Spoiler: Convergence

Chapter 5:

Charlie glanced at his watch, Don was right; they still had some time to spare before they would have to leave. As he gazed around the table Charlie had an odd sensation that Tom would've wanted him to tell the story; he couldn't explain it but for some reason it just felt right to him.

"Okay, I'll tell the story but you have to keep in mind that I was only sixteen years old at the time and shouldn't be held responsible for the events that I am about to relate to you."

"Ah…that remains to be seen." Alan harrumphed, sparking laughter all around.

Slightly embarrassed, Charlie rubbed his face with his hands and then with an exaggerated sigh began to speak. "As I began my last month at Princeton I had an overwhelming desire to just be a normal college kid and after three years of feeling like a freak and an outsider I wanted at least one memory where I could say that I had been accepted as one of them. Granted, they were all older than I was but I thought I had hit on the one idea that would make me feel normal around them-like I was one of them." He scrubbed a hand through his curls and glanced sideways at his Dad. "Sometimes I was pretty desperate and would've done almost anything to feel like I was one of them. " He paused to take a sip of coffee. "It all started the week before Mom went home." His eyes took on a faraway look as he turned his thoughts to the past.

_Princeton University, Fine Hall_

_Hey, Sam," Martin called out, maneuvering his way between the rows of seats in the lecture hall. The class had just ended and the students were in the process of collecting their things and leaving. Martin knelt in the row above his friend and tapped him on the shoulder. "Sam, I'm having a keg party this weekend so can I count on you coming?" _

"_Awesome," the other boy exclaimed excitedly, twisting around so he could see Martin. "I wouldn't miss it." _

_Great." Martin replied, scooting by the boy seated next to Sam so that he could tap another boy on the shoulder, completely ignoring the curly-haired student that sat between the two boys. "Jake, keg party-my place- this weekend."_

"_Cool," Jake replied, gathering up his books before following Martin to the end of the aisle. _

_Charlie kept his head down trying to pretend that he hadn't heard Martin; strange how the boy could remember his name during mid-terms but conveniently forgot it when he was throwing a keg party. Dispiritedly, he shoved his papers into a backpack__ and hurriedly left the lecture hall; it was bad enough never getting invited to a party but to be totally ignored by his classmates really hurt his feelings._

"_Would it have killed him to say "Sorry Eppes but you're too young." Charlie muttered bitterly under his breath as he strode quickly from the hall. He paused as he stepped outside to gaze around the campus. One more month and he would graduate; leaving these hallowed halls forever and it couldn't come soon enough for him. Charlie shifted his backpack to a more comfortable position then headed across campus to the cafeteria. Once inside he picked up a tray and got in line behind the other students. Twenty minutes later he was sitting alone at a corner table, glumly resting his chin in one hand while he absently picked at his food with the other._

"_Hey, Charlie?"_

_The discouraged teenager looked up, scanned the crowd of students for the caller then offered a half-hearted wave to his friend, Thomas Hill, as he got in the cafeteria line. Charlie managed a smile but it faded quickly when he saw Martin approach Tom and when they put their heads together Charlie looked away, unwilling to watch Tom accept Martin's invitation. It wasn't a betrayal, after all Tom wasn't exclusively his friend, but somehow the fact that he had been invited but Charlie hadn't made him feel even worse. Ten minutes later Hill hurried over with a tray full of food and plopped into the empty chair across from Charlie. _

'_Man, I'm starved," Tom exclaimed, taking a large bite out of his steak sandwich, followed immediately by several French fries._

_Scowling, Charlie just nodded then stabbed viciously at a tomato before popping it into his mouth._

"_Whasthematter?" Tom mumbled around a mouthful of food, surprised by his young friend's sullen demeanor._

_Charlie looked up, took a minute to decipher his friends words then shrugged nonchalantly. _"_Nothing."_

_Tom took another bite, chewing his food thoughtfully while he studied the young man's face. He swallowed hard then took a gulp of his water. "Seriously, Charlie, tell me what's wrong."_

"_I told you," Charlie replied irritably. "Nothing is wrong." He deliberately shoved a large portion of the salad into his mouth, his eyes darting away as he chewed._

_Tom popped the last of the sandwich into his mouth and silently eyed his young friend, knowing full well that he would have to wait until the boy was willing to bring it up himself. "Want to get some desert?" he asked in an attempt to change the subject._

_Charlie's face reddened slightly as he pulled a baggie filled with chocolate chip cookies from his book bag."Mom made cookies -want some?"_

_Tom's eyes lit up. "Man, your Mom's cookies are the best! Sure I want some."He eagerly helped himself to a couple of them. "Hmmm, these are delicious!"_

"_So, ah, are you going to Martin's party?" Charlie asked tentatively before taking a bite out of his cookie._

"_Naw," Tom answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "They're all the same- you get drunk, a few people make out and you have to deal with a hangover the next morning. It's not worth it and besides I've got a big test on Monday so I plan to study all weekend."_

"_I wouldn't know," Charlie mumbled dejectedly, his eyes drifting to a crowd of students standing near the entrance to the cafeteria. "I've never been to one."_

_Tom glanced across the room at the rowdy group surrounding Martin. "Is that why you're so down?" He rolled his eyes. "Charlie, even if Martin had asked you to come to the party you couldn't have accepted. Your Mom has already told you that you're not allowed to go to any of them." _

"_I know but it just isn't fair, Tom." Charlie replied heatedly. "Just once I'd like to go to one of the parties and see what they're really like."_

"_She's not going to let you attend one so you might as well forget about it."_

"_I know," Charlie muttered, dropping his head in despair. Suddenly his head jerked up, his eyes alight with an idea."Tom, Mom said I couldn't attend a party but she didn't say that I couldn't throw one myself."_

_Slightly perplexed, Tom scratched his head. "Let me get this straight, you think that you can talk her into letting you have a party?"_

"_Next Friday Mom is flying home to LA, remember?" Charlie said, his face splitting in a grin._

"_Of course I remember. I promised her that I would check in on you, remember?" He retorted, putting a strong emphasis on the word remember._

"_Think about it Tom," Charlie insisted excitedly. "It would be the perfect time for me to have a party and Mom would never have to find out about it."_

"_I don't know, Charlie." Tom replied, squirming nervously in his chair."I promised her that I would keep you out of trouble."_

"_There won't be any trouble. Please Tom," Charlie whined, bringing out the big guns by hitting his friend with his sad, puppy dog eyes. "I'm so tired of feeling like a freak. Please let me feel normal just once…please, please, Tom."_

_Tom had never seen a more pitiful expression in his life and was suddenly at a loss for words. "Ah….ah let me think about it, okay?"_

_Charlie's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "You'll help me?"_

_Hill held up his hand to slow the boy down. "I said I'd think about it so just give me a little time to work things out."_

'_Okay." Charlie agreed excitedly. The idea of a party vastly improved his appetite so he reached for a cookie and began to eat it with gusto. _

_In the end Tom relented so during the coming week the two boys secretly made their plans for the party. As Friday rolled around everything was in place and all they had to do was wait for Margaret to leave._

_Charlie was having difficulty hiding his excitement; he didn't want his mother to suspect that he was up to something so he pretended to study his equations while she waited for the taxi cab to arrive. He viewed the timing of the party as an anomaly and one that he fully intended to take advantage of. During the three years that he had attended Princeton University tonight would be the first time that he actually attended a party with his classmates._

"_The Taxi is here, Charlie." Margaret gave her young son a hug and held him at arm's length. Frowning, she looked him over carefully. "Are you sure you'll be okay while I'm gone?"_

"_Don't worry Mom, I'll be fine." Charlie replied earnestly waving his hand at his books. "I have lots of equations to work on."_

"_All right," she sighed heavily. "It'll be too late to call you when I get in so I'll call first thing in the morning. Okay?" She kissed him on the cheek and gave him another hug before she left._

_Cautiously the teenager watched from the window as the taxi pulled away from the curb then immediately grabbed the phone to put his plan into motion. Charlie was jubilant; in a very short time his hastily planned party would see fruition._

_All that week he and Tom had worked out the plans for the party and his friend had suggested that Charlie have the party in his dorm room instead of Charlie's apartment for two reasons; one, just to make sure the neighbors didn't have anything to report to Margaret when she returned, and two, since Charlie was underage, it would look like he was the one throwing the party. That way, they could both avoid any repercussions with the University. Also, Tom reminded his friend, that he couldn't let anyone at the party actually see him drinking a beer; he would have to go the bathroom and close the door if he wanted to drink one. Charlie quickly saw the wisdom in his friend's words but they didn't curb his enthusiasm. Insisting on paying for the party himself he had rushed to his room and pulled out the small box where he kept his allowance. Charlie had amassed a substantial amount of money since he spent most of his time working on his Math so he had more than enough to cover the cost of the beer keg and snacks for the party. _

_Between classes that Friday afternoon Charlie had helped Tom get things set up for the party, and then at eight o'clock Hill picked up the keg of beer and took it back to his room. He waited anxiously for the teenager's signal and a few seconds after Charlie's call he left the dormitory at a run. Exactly at eight fifteen he pulled up in front of his friend's apartment building to pick him up. The boy came running out almost immediately; flushed with excitement the teenager talked non-stop all the way back to Tom's dorm. Charlie's grin never faded and Tom found his own excitement growing as they bounded up the stairs to his room. A lot of their classmates had accepted the invitation so they were a little surprised when they didn't see a lot of people milling around in front of Tom's room but as they approached the door the reason for their absence became all too apparent. Taped to the door was a sign redirecting the partygoers to the dormitory directly across from them and was signed by Marshall Penfield._

"_Wh…what?" Charlie asked a look of disbelief on his face._

_Tom shrugged helplessly and unlocked his door. Shock registered on both their faces as they stepped into the room. Everything was gone; all of the snacks, plates, napkins and most importantly, the keg of beer. _

_The boys thought that they had planned for every contingency, but they had overlooked one important variable; Marshall Penfield. Somehow the man and his pals had managed to sneak the beer keg from Tom's room and were currently having their own party - in Marshall's room – at Charlie's expense. All of the classmates that had eagerly accepted their invitations had quickly changed allegiance when Marshall announced that he was in possession of the keg._

"_I don't believe this." Tom muttered angrily, stamping a foot hard on the floor. He turned on his heel and with Charlie following closely behind him raced back down the stairs and into the street._

"_I can't believe that he stole my keg!" _

_Charlie cried out in despair then slumped down against the steps to the boy's dormitory. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and held his head mournfully in his hands lamenting the loss of the keg. He had been so close to seeing his desire realized and in the space of twenty minutes it had been taken from him. _

"_I'm sorry, buddy," Tom said miserably, slumping down beside of his young friend. "I don't know how he got in. The door was locked-you saw that, right?"_

_Charlie shrugged dispiritedly. "It's not your fault, Tom. I should have realized that Penfield would do something." His eyes drifted to the well lit room on the fourth floor of the building across from them. It was a warm night so the windows had been opened and the sounds of laughter and music floated down to the street below._

"_Is there any way that we can get it back?"_

"_I don't think so, Charlie. Penfield knows that we won't lodge an official complaint because you're underage. That would get us in trouble with the university and your Mom which is something that neither of us want to see happen." He dropped his head mournfully. "There's nothing that we can do, Charlie. " _

"_Hey Tom." _

_Both of them looked up as Penfield yelled out of the open window; standing next to him was Tom's roommate, Alex Sheffield._

"_That explains how Marshall got in." Charlie murmured unnecessarily._

_Alex grinned and leaned out the window. "Why don't you find someone else to babysit the kid and come join the party?"_

_Outraged, Tom shook his fist at his roommate. "Alex, how could you do this?" _

_Tom's roommate grinned then took a big gulp of his beer."It's your loss, man." He called over his shoulder as he turned away without bothering to answer Tom's question._

"_What's the matter Eppsey?" Marshall sneered, leaning out of the window to taunt Charlie. "You look like someone stole your ball?"_

"_I hate you!" Charlie shouted angrily, jumping to his feet. "You're nothing but a big bully!"_

"_Oh no!" Marshall exclaimed in a mock tone of concern. "I think the little genius is going to cry."_

"_Leave him alone!" Tom shouted, rising quickly to his feet. "You're such an ass Penfield!" _

"_You should be thanking me, man." Marshall arrogantly replied, deliberately toasting them with a cup of Charlie's beer. "I did you a favor. What would his __**mommy**__ think if she found out that he had thrown a key party?" He smiled smugly at them while his words evoked a roar of laughter from the partying students behind him._

"_I thought they were my friends." Charlie mumbled miserably, listening to the raucous laughter spill out of the open window. "I just wanted to fit in-that's all. Just once I wanted to feel like I was one of them."_

_The young boy's devastated look of betrayal made Tom's blood boil. "They're not your friends Charlie; they're just a bunch of stupid people hoping to bury their troubles by going on an alcohol binge. Come on - let's get out of here." Tom turned on his heels and angrily stormed toward his car._

_Angry and humiliated, the teenager hurriedly followed him, anxious to get away from Penfield's taunting remarks and the deafening roar of laughter from his classmates._

_Hill's 1987 Nissan Maxima had seen better days but at that moment it was the most beautiful sight that Charlie had ever seen. Even though the gold metallic color did little to hide the rust that coated the small car and over ninety thousand miles had been tallied on its well-worn engine, the little car still loyally served its owner. With only a minor sputter the engine turned over, and with a sigh of relief Tom pulled away from the curb, eager to get his young friend away from the mocking crowd._

_Worried, Tom frowned and glanced sideways. "Forget about them,Charlie. They're not worth getting upset over."_

_Charlie stiffened up, trying to reign in his emotions, and then nodded glumly as he glared out the side window. He sniffed, and then quickly swiped at a stray tear unwilling to let his friend know how much the incident had hurt him._

_But Tom had also known the emotional pain of rejection and recognized the signs easily. As the only child of two prominent volcanologists, he'd spent more time at volcano sites than interacting with kids of his own age so many times he had been labeled "the social outcast." Perhaps that was why he had been so attracted to Charlie in the first place, and had taken on the role of "big brother" so readily; he saw the boy that he once was in his young friend and wanted to spare him some of the pain that he had felt._

_The apartment that Charlie and his Mother shared was only a few miles from campus so in only a few minutes Tom was pulling into a parking space in front of the building. _

_Charlie barely waited for the car to stop before opening the door to climb out. Mortified beyond belief, he just wanted to escape to the safety and solitude of his apartment._

"_Hey, Charlie." Tom called out before the boy closed the door. "It's only nine o'clock so why don't we go see a movie….or…or something."_

_The street light blinked on before Charlie could answer and for a brief moment Tom could see the unshed tears glistening in his eyes._

"_Thanks anyway, Tom," the boy replied thickly, "but I'm feeling kinda tired right now." He turned and with a mumbled "good night" closed the door and began to shuffle toward the building._

"_Good-night, Charlie," Tom whispered softly, his heart sinking as he watched Charlie's slumped shouldered, and head bowed silhouette disappear into the building._

"_Poor kid," he thought dispiritedly as he turned on the ignition. Charlie had been so animated and excited earlier when they were preparing for the party, and now it was as if he'd just lost everything. _

"_Damn that Penfield!" Tom hissed abruptly, as a spurt of anger rippled through him. Suddenly, he turned off the ignition and clamored out of the car. He jogged toward the building with one thought in mind; he just couldn't leave Charlie like this-not while he was feeling so low._

_Tom had to rap on the door several times before the boy responded and just as he was beginning to get a little concerned Charlie peaked through the eye hole and opened the door._

"_Tom, what are you doing here? I thought that you'd already left."_

"_Ah….uhm…could I use your bathroom?" Tom hadn't devised a plan yet so he said the one thing that he was sure would get him in the door._

"_Oh…ah…yeah…sure. Come on in."_

"_Thanks," Tom replied breathlessly as he hurried to the bathroom. Quickly taking care of business, it hadn't all been a ruse; he flushed the hopper, washed his hands and emerged from the room seemingly in better shape than he had been going in. _

"_I didn't think that you had to study for finals?" he asked, joining Charlie at the kitchen table where he had spread out his books and papers._

"_I don't," Charlie admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, "but I didn't feel like doing anything else."_

_Tom nodded thoughtfully; typical Charlie, whenever he was upset he retreated to the safety of his numbers. His eyes drifted to a small scrap of paper that had been shoved to the side and noted with curiosity that it appeared to be a list of things that Charlie wanted to do before graduation. _

_Charlie followed his gaze and with a horrified expression on his face, made a grab for the paper but Tom was faster and held it out of his reach while he read it._

"_You have…no right….give me that!" Charlie demanded angrily, snatching the paper from his friend's hand. "I thought you were my friend. Are you going to laugh at me now too?"_

"_No, Charlie, I'm not going to laugh at you." Tom replied, a hurtful expression on his face. "I am your friend and friends don't laugh at each other."_

_Charlie's eyes clouded with confusion and suspicion. "You don't think this is funny?"_

"_No, I don't. You know why?"_

"_Why?" Charlie asked, his curiosity overriding his anger._

_Tom smiled warmly. "Because when I was your age I made a list very similar to this one. Of course, I was in high school at the time…not college."_

_Charlie's face brightened up a little. "Really? Did you do everything on your list?"_

_Tom rolled his eyes. "No. I'm actually still working on a couple of them." He stretched out his hand. "May I see your list again?"_

_Charlie hesitated then handed it over to him._

"_Hey, I had most of these on my list too."He exclaimed, happy to see that Charlie's wish list was something that a sixteen year old boy would write instead of those of a child prodigy/math genius. _

"_Really?" Charlie asked, his face breaking into a relieved smile. "Which ones?"_

"_Definitely number's two, three, and four." Suddenly Tom's face lit up. "There's nothing that I can do to help you with number one, and you might as well cross off number five because that isn't going to happen now but I think that I can help you with number's three and six." He looked up and winked at Charlie as he handed the paper back to him. "Oh, and, uh, by the way…you're __**totally**__ on your own with numbers two and four." _

"Hey, guys, we've got to get going!"Charlie exclaimed suddenly, bringing everyone back to the present.

"You can't stop there," Don protested heartily, rising to his feet with the others. "You have to tell us what you and Tom did."

"Yeah, Charlie," Alan pleaded, thoroughly caught up his son's story. "I want to hear what Tom's idea was and what was on your list."

A clamor of protest rose around the table when Amita and Robin joined in; Larry already knew what happened next.

"We don't have time right now." Charlie said with a shake of his head. "We have to get going guys or we'll be late. I promise I'll tell you the rest of the story tonight."

"We're going to hold you to that, bro."

"Yeah, yeah," Charlie agreed absently then changed the subject. "You brought the gear that I told you to bring, right?"

"We brought everything that you had on the list."

"Good. Now hurry and get dressed then meet us outside." He waved a hand at the table." We'll have to clean this mess up when we get back."

"That's nonsense, Charlie." Alan said, stepping forward. "I'm not going on the hike, remember? I'll have plenty of time to clean it up."

"We hate to run off and leave you with this mess, Dad."

Amita stepped up beside of Charlie. "He's right, Alan. It just isn't fair for us to leave you with all of the work to do."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not meeting Faye until noon so time isn't an issue for me. Now you two better hurry up and get ready." He waved them away with his hands. "Go…..shoo."

"We'll make it up to you, Dad." Charlie called over his shoulder as he and Amita raced to their bedroom to put on their hiking gear.

No less than ten minutes later the group had gathered on the front porch of the cabin. While Amita handed out water bottles and snacks for everyone to put in their backpacks Charlie handed each hiker a pair of Trekking poles.

"Trust me; you're going to need these." He said, handing the last pair to his brother. Charlie had measured them himself; each pair had been adjusted specifically for each hiker.

"Wow," Robin marveled, "These poles are just perfect for me. Thanks, Charlie."

"Mine too. Thanks buddy."

You're welcome but it wasn't a big deal."Charlie replied with a grin. "I just used a little math to get the measurements correct."

"Ut oh," Don said, rolling his eyes at Robin. "I think we're in for a math lecture."

"Not today, bro." Charlie called over his shoulder as he stuffed his backpack and trekking poles in the back of the SUV. Amita's was next and then one by one the rest of the packs and poles were stowed away in the back of the vehicle. Don slid behind the wheel while Robin took the front passenger seat. Larry and Amita headed for the rear seat but before Charlie joined them he fished a set of keys out of his pocket then jogged over to the porch.

"Here you go, pop." He said, handing over the keys to his Prius.

"Thanks, Charlie."Alan replied, slipping them into his own pocket. "You guys be careful up there and don't forget that we're having dinner at Faye's restaurant tonight…five o'clock sharp!"

"Don't worry, Dad. One of the forest rangers is going to guide us up the mountain." He turned and hurried back to the car, calling over his shoulder as he ran. "We'll be back in plenty of time."

"Take lots of pictures." Alan called out as Charlie closed the car door. The elder Eppes stood on the porch until the SUV was out of sight then began to roll up his shirt sleeves as he headed back inside the cabin. He stopped in the middle of the room, hands on his hips, as he surveyed the mess; dirty dishes were scattered across the table, breakfast bar, stove and kitchen counter.

"Might as well get too it," he mused out loud. "But where should I start?"

TBC

A/N: Thank you for your reviews and alerts.


	6. Chapter 6

_Seasons_

_By_

_1__st__ endeavor_

_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1_

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews. I appreciate every one of them._

Chapter 6:

Don guided the black SUV effortlessly along Highway 503 and carefully watched for signs showing the way to Climbers' Bivouac. It wasn't necessary though, despite the excited and animated conversations going on between the occupants of the car, Charlie gave him advance notice on where to make the left hand turn into Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

In a matter of minutes, Don pulled into the parking lot at the Climbers Bivouac, the trailhead for their climb to the summit. He found a parking space near the entrance to the trail then they all clamored out of the SUV and hurriedly grabbed their gear.

"Don, Charlie, over here." A booming voice called out prompting five heads to swivel in the direction of the yell.

Hank Fisher, a good friend and sheriff of Castle Rock stood beside two other men at the entrance to the trail, but he wasn't wearing his uniform today. Instead he and his young deputy, Kenny, were both dressed for a hike up the mountain. Standing next to them was a bearded, powerfully built man wearing a forest ranger's jacket with a two-way radio clipped to his belt.

Don and Charlie waved a hello, grabbed their gear, and with the others in tow jogged across the parking lot to join them.

"Glad you guys could make it." Hank said, stepping forward to greet them with a friendly handshake for the men and a tip of his baseball cap for the ladies. "Let me introduce you to our guide; Ranger Neil Harper. Neil this is Don Eppes, Charlie and Amita Eppes and Professor Larry Fleinhardt." He waved a hand at each one of them as he spoke."But this pretty young lady is new to me too."

Don wrapped an arm around Robin and pulled her close. "I'd like all of you to meet my fiancée, Robin Brooks."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Brooks." Hank said with a grin, and then gave the agent a hearty slap on the back. "You're a lucky man, Don."

Don winced slightly from the blow but managed to keep the smile on his face. "Yeah, I kinda got that part figured out, Hank."

"I guess you do, son," the sheriff chuckled, then turned to Larry. "It's nice to see you again, Professor."

"You as well, Sheriff."

"I was starting to get a little worried. I was afraid that we might have kept you folks up too late last night to join us this morning." Hank remarked, turning to face Charlie and Amita.

Amita grinned and shook her head. "Trust me Hank when I say that we are used to staying up a lot later than one o'clock in the morning and still manage to get up in time for our morning classes."

"We were helping the council set things up for tomorrow's ceremony." Charlie explained at Don's inquisitive look.

"Kenny, that's about the third time you've bumped into me." The sheriff admonished the young man in a slightly irritated voice. "What's your problem this morning? You got ants in your pants or something?"

"I…I'm sorry, Hank." The young man's face reddened as he apologized. "I guess I'm just excited. Tom offered to take me up the mountain but ah…he ah…never got the chance."

A hush fell over them at the mention of the volcanologist and their thoughts turned to the reason for their hike that morning.

Hank glanced at the somber faces and broke the awkward silence. "Aw…that's okay, kid." After Kenny's comment he felt a little guilty for complaining. "It is exciting. The last time I climbed her was before the eruption and she looked a lot different then."

"Wow that was really a long time ago." The young man said teasingly, trying but failing to keep a straight face.

"Hey, don't get cocky, kid."Hank huffed, pretending to be affronted but he noted with satisfaction that their teasing had lightened up everyone's mood.

While the hikers exchanged their friendly banter the ranger passed a critical eye over them; paying special attention to their gear. Each one of them sported a backpack, carried trekking poles and wore solid hiking boots; no sneakers in this crowd. They were all dressed in jeans, long sleeved shirts and tee shirts; good, layered clothing was the best thing to wear for this type of hike. The air was fairly warm at the moment but the temperature would change drastically with the altitude of their climb.

The voices grew silent as the ranger cleared his throat and began to issue a few warnings and instructions.

"Did all of you bring a warm jacket and gloves?"

The group answered almost simultaneously with a nod of heads and a mixture of yeah's, yes sir's and Hanks' comment of "I think Emily packed everything but the kitchen sink…and then some," which prompted grins and chuckles all around.

"You're on your own with that, Hank, because I'm not lugging that thing up the mountain." Neil retorted good-naturedly. He'd been friends with the Fisher's for years and could well imagine what Emily had packed for her husband. Getting back to business he asked if they had brought lunch with them and they all assured him that they had plenty of bottled water, protein bars and trail mixes in their backpacks to ensure that they would have enough energy for the day's activities.

"That's good," Neil commented as he unzipped his backpack and withdrew a handful of yellow tags. "It's a ten mile climb to the top so you're going to need lots of energy."He handed each of them one of the yellow tags with instructions to attach them to the outside of their backpacks.

"Permits are required for anyone climbing over 4800 ft and they must be visible at all times. Keep in mind that this will be a six to seven hour roundtrip hike along rough terrain, with an elevation gain of 4,600 feet. One of the most important things to remember is: Don't jump off the rocks. Step off of them."

His gaze drifted around the group; Hank and Fleinhardt were the oldest of the lot but both men appeared to be in good health. The other five looked fit as well and from what Hank had told him all but the youngest one had hiking experience. Even though Kenny had lived in the area this would be his virgin trip up the mountain.

"Hiking Mount St. Helens is not for wimps and injuries are not uncommon but I believe that you'll all agree that the climb was worth it once you get a good look at the mountain. We'd better get started." He shrugged into his backpack. "Charlie, since you've climbed the trail before why don't you take up the rear position, that way we can keep the others between us."

Don started to protest, over-protective big brother kicking into gear, but Charlie gave him one of his 'don't even think about it looks', and took his position at the rear of the group so the agent had no choice but to comply. Hank fell in line behind the ranger, followed by Kenny then Larry. Robin was next, then Don, Amita and Charlie

"This hike is a tough one, but it doesn't require any technical climbing skills so you guys should be able to make it without too much difficulty." Harper informed them as they started out on the Ptarmigan Trail.

The wide, well-maintained trail headed north through a forest of fir trees and huckleberry bushes. The harsh wind that had plagued them earlier had been replaced by a much warmer and gentler breeze. It blew around them as they walked, stirring the branches above them and forcing hundreds of white and yellow lilies dotting the hillside to dance in the sunlight.

They traveled at an easy pace with the dew-wet earth and layers of pine needles muffling the sound of their boots as they made their way toward the summit. The trail began a gentle climb and after 2.1 miles they had ascended a thousand feet. The valley below them was still encased in the early morning fog hiding the lakes and lava gorges from their view but as they passed through a stand of trees they got their first view of St. Helens. It was quite an intimidating sight and more than one of them wondered if they weren't being foolish to think that they could make it to the top. Yet, there was no hesitation; all of them were determined to see it through.

As they continued their climb Mount Hood and Mount Adams came into view to the south and east of them giving them a very real sense of how high up the mountain they had already traveled. They paused to get some pictures of them and when they crossed the Loowit Trail, which circuits the mountain, they stopped for a brief rest.

Sweating and slightly breathless from the exertion of the climb the small group gratefully sat down atop fallen trees and rocks that dotted the small clearing.

"Whew," Don said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I think I've already burned off that big breakfast we had this morning."

Simultaneous nods and comments from his fellow hikers proved that he wasn't the only one feeling his energy level dropping.

"Try some of that trail mix we gave you." Charlie said, digging out his own bag of mix. "It'll help boost your energy until we stop for lunch."

Twenty minutes later the hikers were ready to continue their climb and started out with a renewed energy. Kenny could hardly restrain his excitement and many times stepped on the sheriff's heels until a frustrated Hank dropped back and ordered him to follow right behind the ranger.

The group of friends pushed on and after another two miles crossed a trail marked #216-b. Harper brought them to a halt and removed his backpack then zipped open one of its pockets. He removed a small battery operated screwdriver then one by one removed the screws attaching the marker to the metal pole.

"Charlie could you hand me the new marker?"

"Hank, the trail marker arrived, right?" Charlie asked anxiously, twisting around to meet the sheriff's eye. He'd meant to ask him earlier because yesterday morning there had been some doubt that they would have it in time but then had assumed that the sheriff would've mentioned it if it hadn't.

"Luckily, it was delivered to my office while we were getting things ready yesterday. " His eyes drifted around the small group. "The manufacturer was late shipping it out so they expressed it to us." He clapped the young man on the shoulder."It looks real good too. Don't worry, Charlie in a few minutes Trail #216-b will be known as The Thomas Hill Trail." He unzipped his backpack and pulled out the shiny new green and white marker then handed it to Charlie.

The others gathered around him to look at the trail marker before he carried it over to the pole and held it in place while the ranger attached it.

Charlie stepped back and gazed at the sign. It seemed right, like a missing piece of a puzzle falling into place; Tom's name belonged here…on this mountain where he had spent so much of his time.

Don watched his brother closely noting the sad expression on his face. "You okay, buddy?"

"Yeah," Charlie replied, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm fine."

Amita hugged Charlie excitedly."This is so awesome."

Charlie ducked his head momentarily then looked up, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. "Tom would love this. I just wish there was some way for him to know."

Don stepped up and squeezed his shoulder. "I think Tom would've been thrilled to know that a trail was going to be named after him."

"_More than you'll ever know." Tom's ghost sighed softly, materializing at Charlie's side."I just wish that I could thank all of you." Sadly, no one saw him or heard his words._

Robin pulled out her camera and motioned for Charlie to stand next to the marker but he insisted that all of them should be in the picture so Neil ended up taking the photo but none of them noticed the figure standing behind the mathematician. Afterwards, Robin took a few pictures of the ranger standing by the marker too.

The group packed up and moved another mile up the trail then the ranger stopped them.

"This is a good place to have a lunch. We're going to need a lot of energy for the next section of the trail."

They were all getting hungry so they eagerly sat down to eat and drink some water.

As they munched their sandwiches Hank gave Don a nudge. "Charlie said that you use to play for the Stockton Rangers."

"Once upon a time," The agent replied taking a swig of his water and wondering what the sheriff was up too.

"Why don't you sign up for the charity game tomorrow? Our local baseball team is playing against anyone who signs up for the other team. You could be their captain."

Charlie leaned around Robin to catch his brother's eye. "That would be a great idea, Don. All proceeds go to the Big Brother's organization in town."

Don took another drink of water before answering. "All right, I'll do it but you have to sign up too Chuck."

"You want me to play on your team?" Charlie asked, eyes widening in surprise. He glanced at the others. "I'm usually the last person he chooses in something like this."

"Hey," Don exclaimed in his defense."You were shorter than the baseball bat back then- wait, how tall are you now?"

"Ha, ha," Charlie retorted. "It's too late to change your mind now bro-count me in."

Hank winked at Amita and Robin. "It's a mixed league ladies, so you can sign up too." He turned to Larry. "How about you Professor? Want to give it a try?"

"Who's the captain of the local team?" Don asked before Larry or the girls could answer.

"Ahm…that would be me." Hank replied with a smug smile. "We play a pretty good game." He tapped his deputy on the arm. "Kenny here has a mean fast ball too. So what do you think-are you guys in?"

"Well, if you're playing then I guess age shouldn't be a deterrent." Larry said mischievously. "Count me in."

"My age!" Hank sputtered, pretending to be insulted. "Why, I'm not that much older than you."

Larry grinned, "Precisely my point."

Kenny laughed out loud. "Sounds like fighting words to me Sheriff."

"Sure does." Hank agreed.

Don glanced at his brother. "That sounds like a challenge to me."

"Count me in." Amita said excitedly, followed closely by Robin's, "Me too."

Charlie wiggled his eyebrows. "I bet that we can get Dad to coach one of the bases too."

"He'd love it," Don agreed then turned to face the ranger. "Neil will you be at the ceremony tomorrow?"

"Sure, wouldn't miss it. Tom was one of the few volcanologists that I met up here who could actually carry on a decent conversation. He never made you feel stupid either, if you know what I mean? Talked to me like I was his equal even though he was way smarter than me and I appreciated that."

Larry smiled sadly. "Thomas always was a very affable man."

"That he was," Charlie sighed in agreement.

"Have you ever played baseball, Neil?" Don asked, eyeing the man's muscular arms.

The ranger grinned, his eyes drifting to the surprised looks on Hank and Kenny's faces then back to Don's before answering. "I've been known to swing a bat or two. I'll join your team tomorrow."

"Yeah!" Don chortled. "It looks like we got a team."

"We'll still need a few more players though." Robin pointed out.

"Don't worry," Hank replied. "I'm sure that more people will sign up tomorrow so you'll have plenty to choose from."

"I hate to break this up fellas but I think it's time for us to move on."Neil said, rising to his feet. He opened his backpack and pulled out a heavier jacket and a pair of gloves. "Better put on your warm jackets before we head into this next section."

Ten minutes later the hikers started out again, dressed in warmer gear and eager to reach the top. The meadows and fir trees were disappearing; the terrain was changing and becoming steeper as they began their ascent to Monitor Ridge.

A strong, cool wind met them as they topped the ridge and all but two of them gasped at the sight that greeted them. Charlie and the ranger, of course, had known what to expect but for first time hikers to the mountain the next part of the trail could be a little daunting.

Snowfields lay to either side of the ridge but that wasn't what held their attention. All heads were inclined upward, eyes locked on the 2500 vertical feet of boulder fields that blocked their path.

Kenny whistled through his teeth. "Man, how are we going to climb that?"

"Don't seem to remember that being there before." Hank muttered in amazement.

"Now I know why you insisted that Dad stay behind." Don muttered quietly unable to take his eyes from the boulders.

Charlie nodded his head. "Yeah, I knew the first part of the trail would be okay but I was afraid this might be too much for him."

"Good call." Larry mumbled, eyes following the path upward.

"Can we really climb that?" Amita asked doubtfully.

"Of course," Charlie said encouragingly, "I've done it three times already. The trekking poles help a lot, you'll see?"

Don rubbed his chin and glanced at his brother. "You sure about this, Chuck?"

"Positive, but then I'm a lot younger than you are so you might have a problem." The younger man replied teasingly, eyes shining mischievously.

"Ha, ha," Don retorted. "We'll just see about that. What do you think, Robin?"

"I think that I didn't come this far to turn back now."

"That's my girl." Don replied enthusiastically.

"What about you, Hank?" Neil asked as he adjusted his backpack.

"I may be the oldest one here but I can still hold my own. I'm not turning back now."

"Is everyone ready to go on?" The ranger asked, waiting until he got a firm nod from each of them before starting up the trail. "Oh, and keep your gloves on," he called over his shoulder, "these rocks are dusted with an ash pumice that tends to shred the skin so be careful."

"Shreds the skin?" Hank repeated sarcastically, an incredulous look on his face. "Anything else you want to tell us about Neil?" Without waiting for an answer he put his trekking poles in position and started climbing behind Kenny. Larry followed, then Robin, Don, Amita and of course, Charlie bringing up the rear.

One by one they struggled up the mountain side and despite many slips and slides each of them were determined to make it to the top. No one spoke; it was taking all of their energy and concentration just to make the climb. The sounds of the trekking poles as they thudded against the rocks echoed around them as they silently made their way over the boulders, sometimes their heavy breathing was louder than the wind that swept around them.

Neil and Kenny had made it over the top when Hank suddenly lost his footing; his arms windmilled momentarily then he helplessly slid backwards into Fleinhardt. With a yelp Larry careened into Robin who fell against Don forcing him against Amita who screamed as she tumbled into Charlie.

Caught by surprise, Charlie was knocked to the ground; the gravitational pull along with the combined weight that hit him pushed the startled mathematician toward the rim. Helplessly he clawed at the loose stones as he slid over them in a desperate attempt to keep himself from sliding over the edge of the ridge. Distantly he heard Amita's screams and Don's yells as he was frantically trying to extricate himself from beneath the pile of bodies that had him pinned against the boulders but Charlie could only focus on his own desperate attempt to grab hold of anything that would stop his fall. Despite all of his efforts it was to no avail, he let out one strangled cry then disappeared over the edge.

"Charlie, noooo!" Amita screamed. She scrambled up on all fours and crawled desperately for the rim.

"Charlie!" Don cried out, frantically trying to disentangle himself from the others. Finally free, he raced forward and caught up with Amita. He latched onto her jacket then yanked her backwards pushing her into the arms of Robin and Larry. Amita struggled against their hold then sank to the ground sobbing Charlie's name over and over.

"Hold her, keep her there!" Don called over his shoulder as he shrugged out of his backpack and got down on all fours. Desperately he inched his way forward until he was close enough to lie down and look over the edge. He felt pressure on his ankles as Larry and Hank anchored him down but he had no time for them; his thoughts were only for his brother because if Charlie was gone he didn't care if he fell to his own death or not.

"Charlie!" Don cried out fearfully as he peered over the ledge. He squeezed his eyes shut momentarily against the dizzying height before he could focus on the sight below him but when he was able to see clearly those brown eyes flew open in a panic; Charlie was nowhere in sight. The cloud cover was so thick that he couldn't see more than six feet below the rim and if Charlie had fallen further than that was there any chance that he could have survived the fall? Later Don would swear that his heart had stopped right then and there because there didn't seem to be any chance that his brother could have survived the fall.

"Don, can you see him?"

"Is he hurt?"

"Oh, my God, Charlie!"

"I…I can't see him." Don stammered out anxiously. He shook his head to clear it; refusing to accept the fact that he might be too late. Don edged further out over the rim; setting his jaw in grim determination.

"Don, be careful," Hank warned, "you're getting too far over the edge."

Ignoring his warning the agent leaned even further over the rim then shouted his brother's name again. Just as he was about to call out again he thought he heard someone call his name. A flare of hope filled his heart as he craned his neck to look under the rim and saw his brother dangling by a protruding rock.

"Don…hurry!" Charlie cried urgently, his eyes wide with fear. "I…I'm slipping."

"Hold…hold on! I'll get you out!" He turned and shouted over his shoulder. "He's holding on to a rock but we have to hurry!"

The ranger and Kenny had heard their cries and climbed back down to join them. Neil quickly removed his backpack and pulled a rope from a zippered compartment then ran over to the rim to peer over. He could tell from the way Charlie's arms were trembling that they didn't have much time to spare so after a quick glance around the clearing he knelt beside Don and began to tie the rope around the agent's chest and under his arms as he called out instructions.

"Don, we're going to lower you over the rim so that you can grab him and then we'll pull you both back up. There's no way that he would be able to release his hold on the rock to grab the rope if we just lowered it to him. Understand?" He waited for Don's nod then glanced at the others." Professor, you and Kenny take the end of this rope and wrap it around that boulder back there and hold on tight….don't let it slip. "

"Hank, I'm going to need you and the ladies to help me lower Don down and pull them both up."

Words were unnecessary as everyone hustled to take their positions. Amita wiped her eyes on her sleeves as she and Robin took their places beside the men, digging their feet in and gripping the rope tightly.

"Don…hurry!"

Charlie's desperate plea tore at Don's heart as he turned around and began to ease his legs over the rim. "I'm coming, buddy. Just hang on…a little longer." He grimaced as the rope tightened beneath his arms. "Lower!" he shouted when he came to a standstill and then began to inch downward again. Finally he was dangling alongside of Charlie and wrapped his arms around him just a one of his brother's hands slipped from the rock.

"Just…just in time, Don." Charlie gasped in relief, gripping the rope with both hands.

"I've got you now, Charlie," Don whispered breathlessly, "and I'm not letting go. If you go, I go." He leaned his head back and looked up. "I've got him," he shouted, "pull us up!"

They began to inch upward, slowly at first but faster as they approached the rim then suddenly there were hands grabbing for them to pull them up and over the edge. Neil removed the rope freeing the brothers to lie on their backs as they gasped for breath. Amita rushed to Charlie's side, showering him with kisses as he struggled to sit up. Finally in a sitting position he took her in his arms and assured her that he was okay. Don was in a similar position with Robin to ease her fears then they slowly rose to their feet. He stepped over to his brother's side and held out his hand.

"You want to go on?"

Charlie looked up and nodded. Amite stood up and dusted off her clothes as Don pulled Charlie to his feet. For a moment brown eyes met brown eyes then Don pulled him close in a tight hug and said softly. "Don't do that again, bro. You scared me half to death."

Charlie returned Don's hug fiercely then pulled out of his embrace. "Thanks," he said simply.

Don smiled softly and gave him a gentle nod. "No, problem."

Larry put one hand on Charlie's shoulder and the other on Don's. "I don't think that my heart could take another event like that one so I sincerely hope that the remainder of our hike will be free of any similar adventures."

"I'm sorry fellas," Hank apologized, stepping forward. "I lost my footing and caused the whole thing."

"Don't worry about it, Hank, accidents happen. " Charlie replied, picking up his trekking poles. "I'm ready to try again, how about you guys?"

They all agreed and resumed their positions-with one concession-Don insisted on trading places with Amita. The ranger started up once again and led the way over the boulders.

An hour later Charlie, the last one in line, breathlessly topped the ridge then plopped down on the ground beside the others as they sat there trying to catch their breaths then twenty minutes later Neil stood up, ready to push on.

"You guys are doing great," he said as the small group rose slowly to their feet, "but now we come to the hard part."

"Hard part?" Hank huffed. "What the hell do you call what we just climbed through?"

"That was difficult, yes, but this section of the trail climbs about 1000 vertical feet to the crater rim and it's through ash and small rocks. Many people describe it as "two steps forward and one step back. Check out the view as we climb up, it'll help take your mind off of the slow slog."

The ranger picked up his trekking poles and made a slight adjustment in their length. "Get a good grip on your poles, they're really going to be a big help in getting you through this loose pumice. We're going up at a pretty steep angle so to get any kind of grip in this stuff you might try walking paddle footed." He demonstrated by turning his foot sideways. "Try to stay at least six feet apart that way when you slip back you won't bump into the next guy." With that he turned and started climbing.

"We might as well sit back down," Charlie said, "it's going to be a while until it's our turn." He sank to the ground and shifted around to get comfortable. Amita followed, scooting close enough for him to put his arms around her. Don and Robin followed, snuggling together to ward off the cool wind.

"I can't believe how tired my legs and arms feel," Robin complained, rubbing her arms vigorously.

Charlie glanced down the mountainside. "We're more than 6,000 feet up so the lack of oxygen will make you feel even more tired."

All heads swiveled toward the mountain when Kenny mumbled an inaudible curse as he took a step forward and slipped backwards. Their eyes tracked upward to mark the ranger's progress; he hadn't been kidding about the difficulty of the climb, it had been fifteen minutes since he started and he wasn't even a third of the way to the summit yet.

Hank started up then Larry moved into position.

Robin took a shaky breath and stood up, a combination of excitement and apprehension crossing her features. "I'm next so I better get ready."

"Don't worry," Don said, standing by her side, "We'll be right behind you."

Charlie stood up then offered Amita a hand up. "I can't wait to see your expressions when you get to the top."

After what seemed like hours they all topped the ridge and stood on the summit. They had to brace themselves against the strong winds that greeted them then stood in awe at the view before them.

The scene at the top was almost surreal-the incredible view left them speechless. Framed by a cloudless blue sky the snow-capped peaks of Mount Adams, Mount Hood and Mount Rainier appeared to float above a sea of white billowy clouds and yet beneath those clouds the blue-green undulating hills that surrounded them were clearly visible; it appeared as if the clouds were connecting two different worlds together.

Wrinkling his nose in disgust Kenny exclaimed. "Phew! What's that smell?"

"Sulfur." Neil chuckled, pointing out the huge crater and the new dome that was growing within it as well as the horseshoe shaped glacier that was forming around it. "You get used to it after a while."

"It smells like rotten eggs." Kenny huffed, holding his nose. "You might be used to it but I don't think that I ever could."

"It's like stepping back in time and watching the creation of the world," Larry murmured, ignoring the exchange between Neil and the deputy. "It's no wonder that Tom enjoyed his work so much."

Amita glanced at Charlie. "Tom took you down into the crater, didn't he?"

"Several times," the young man admitted. "He spent a lot of time studying the formation of the dome, said it was growing rapidly in size every year."

Robin inclined her head and studied him. "Didn't Tom ever get lonely?"

"Sometimes," Charlie replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "but not when he was up here. He said…he said that there were times that he was sure his Mom and Dad were here with him." He swallowed hard, his eyes darted away and when he gazed at her again he wore a sad smile. "Tom grew up on sites like this, working alongside of his parents so I guess it was only natural that he would feel that way."

Don noted the sad expression on his brother's face and stepped closer, hooking his arm around Charlie's neck. "Buddy, this is absolutely amazing. I'm so glad that you asked us to come along on this trip. Of course, we could've done without that little adventure back there."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Tell me about it." He cleared his throat and pulled a camera from his backpack. "I promised Dad that we would take a lot of pictures for him to look at so I better get started."

"Stay in the center when you're taking the pictures," the ranger warned them all as more cameras made their appearance, "the rim is just a cornice and might break under your weight."

"Which one is Mt Rainier?" Kenny asked, focusing his camera on one of the distant mountains. "It's the highest one in the Cascades, right?"

"Right," Neil agreed, "and it's the one to our left."

Hank studied the mountain thoughtfully. "How high is Rainier?"

"The summit of Mt. Rainier is 14,410 ft."

Kenny let out a long whistle. "Now that's a big mountain. How high are we?"

The ranger shrugged on his backpack as he answered. "We're only standing at 8,365 ft."

"Only." Hank said dryly, bending down to pick up his gear," Well I don't need to go any higher, this mountain is plenty high enough for me."

Robin gazed at Mt. Rainier's mighty crown then looked at Don. "I've made countless trips to Seattle and not once did it cross my mind to climb that massive mountain. But then," she grinned broadly, "If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be climbing Mt. St. Helens I would have suggested that they see a psychiatrist."

The tiny group burst into laughter then gathered up their gear for the trip back down the mountain. Downhill through the loose pumice was easier than they expected it to be; the trekking poles helped relieve the pressure on their knees but once they hit the igneous rock trail their descent was slowed considerably.

All in all it took them almost as long to descend the mountain as it did for them to climb it so the weary group was greatly relieved when the parking lot came into view.

"Man, I thought that I was in shape," Don complained as they stowed the gear into the car, "but my arms feel like they're going to fall off."

"I'm starting to get leg cramps." Amita moaned, climbing into the car.

"This is nothing compared to how sore we're all going to be tomorrow." Charlie sighed, leaning his head back against the car seat.

Multiple groans met his comment as Don pulled out of the parking lot.

"Ohh great," Robin said sarcastically. "I can't wait to see what that feels like."

"At least my dear," Larry sighed wearily, "you won't be suffering alone. "

"That's right," Don said, glancing sideways at Robin. "You know that old saying…misery loves company."

"I'm 100% sure that in this case misery will not be disappointed."The mathematician mumbled sleepily.

"_Charrlles_," Larry whined. "I think that we all can figure that one out without using your beloved mathematics."

"It's not math," Charlie snickered, "its logic."

The friendly banter continued and soon they were coming to a stop in front of the cabin. Wearily, they climbed out of the car and collected their gear.

"Leave the trekking poles in the car. I have to drop them off at the hiking rental store before it closes today." Charlie said, picking up his backpack.

Don glanced at his watch. "What time are we supposed to meet Dad?"

"Five o'clock."

"So we have two hours to rest and get ready."

Charlie shook his head. "No. We have an hour and a half because I have to drop the poles off before five o'clock."

"I have first dibs on the shower," Amita called over her shoulder as she opened the door to the cabin and rushed in.

"That is _sooo _not fair." Charlie muttered for the second time that day as he followed everyone into the cabin.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

_Seasons_

_By _

_1st Endeavor_

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: Scan man, In Security

A/N: Thank you for your reviews

Chapter 7:

"It's so peaceful here." Robin murmured softly, resting her head against Don's shoulder.

The two of them were sitting on one of the cabin's front porch swings snuggling together beneath a brightly colored afghan. The sun was setting and the warm afternoon breeze that had playfully swirled around them all day now had a slight chill to it. The lower half of Don's face had dropped below the edge of the afghan making his mumbled response inaudible; his eyes remained closed and he was on the verge of falling asleep.

"I agree whole-heartedly with you my dear." Larry concurred, picking up the conversation. "I don't even think that Brother Theo could find anything to complain about here." The diminutive cosmologist was sitting in one of two rocking chairs that been placed evenly between the two swings.

"Do you miss living at the monastery, Larry?" Alan asked, bringing the other rocking chair to a standstill.

"I have no regrets about leaving that quite sanctuary; it was time for me to move on but I have learned to appreciate those rare moments of silence."

"Didn't you once tell me that you can contemplate silence, but you can never find it?" Charlie asked in a skeptical tone from the other porch swing where he and Amita were cuddling together under their own afghan.

"Be that as it may, Charles, sitting here surrounded by good friends, without any _technological intrusions_ is indeed, a rare moment of silence and one that I am enjoying immensely."

"As am I." Alan agreed, sighing contentedly as he tucked his afghan a little tighter around his legs.

The small group fell silent for a moment, enjoying the panoramic view as the sun sank behind the mountain. Patches of blue could still be seen in the sky but they were being quickly replaced by the gold and pink clouds of the sunset.

After the hikers had taken a quick shower and changed their clothes they'd rushed into town, barely making it in time to drop off the trekking poles. Finding a parking place for Faye's restaurant had proven to be a challenge but after circling the block several times they were finally successful then sprinted to the restaurant, arriving with just a minute to spare. Tired and hungry they were eager for a good meal and they hadn't been disappointed; Fay and Alan had prepared a wonderful dinner of French Onion Soup, salads, mashed potatoes and fried chicken for them which they had happily devoured. After sharing the day's tales, minus Charlie's near fatal fall of course, Don, Robin and Alan climbed into the SUV and headed back to the cabin with Charlie, Amita and Larry following behind in the Prius. But when they arrived home it was only seven o'clock and even though everyone was tired from the day's activities it was too early for them to retire for the night so they all had opted to sit on the front porch and relax for a while. As daylight slipped away and the colorful clouds were replaced by millions of twinkling stars the night birds and insects began to serenade them.

"It's too bad that you couldn't have joined us today, Alan." Larry remarked sleepily, breaking the silence. "Mother Nature put on quite a display for us and it was a remarkable sight to behold."

"I wish I could have been there, but to tell you the truth, I have enough trouble getting up and down the stairs these days. I certainly don't need to break my neck trying to climb a mountain. Besides, Charlie took pictures, right?" Alan asked, peering over the rims of his glasses at his youngest son.

"Don't worry, Dad. I took plenty of pictures today." Charlie quietly assured him. "I'll make you a digital copy when we get home so that you can look at them on your laptop."

"Hey, Larry," Don asked suddenly, surprising everyone that he was still awake, "you know that other worldly feeling that we experienced at the summit today, that sense of awe? Well I was wondering if it was anything like what you felt when you were in space."

Larry leaned forward, resting his elbows on the arms of the rocker as he pondered Don's question. "No," he said with a slight shake of his head. "They were two totally different experiences and I'll tell you why. Today, on the summit it appeared that we were separate from the rest of the world but we still had a physical connection to the earth and even though the gray rocks, ice and snow made it look devoid of life we still had a sense of life; the buffeting winds, the smell of sulfur emitting from the newly forming dome and the ethereal feeling of the endless clouds that surrounded us all spoke of life." His eyes drifted upward as he searched for the right words to express his feelings. "The view from space is simply breathtaking but sight is the only sense that is triggered there; space is void of all smells, winds and most importantly-life."Larry's eyes darted from face to face. "Don't get me wrong-I am glad that I had the opportunity to work on the space station because I gained an enormous insight into the vast universe but what I found more enlightening was how fragile our lives on this small planet really are and it's made me realize how important all of you are to me." He lifted his wine glass in a toast. "To you-my family."

"That's beautiful, Larry." Alan said softly, lifting his beer bottle in a toast to the cosmologist at the same time as the others lifted their drinks. "To family," they all intoned quietly.

"Thank you for that." Larry whispered, unshed tears glistening in his eyes.

Charlie tilted his head sideways and studied his friend by the dim light that was cast through the living room window. "You've been a member of this family for a very, very long time, Larry."

Larry smiled fondly at his young friend; where had the years gone? He could still see the boy before him that had once been his star pupil, the young man that he had mentored and his dear friend; no- that wasn't right, Charlie was more than a friend to him- he was more like the son that he had never had.

"Look," Amita said suddenly, drawing everyone's attention. She drew her arm out from under the afghan and pointed to an object in the sky. "A falling star."

"Over there's another one." Robin exclaimed excitedly, using her wine glass to point at a different section of the sky.

Larry scratched his beard and stared at the night sky. "That's actually a misnomer," he said, slipping into his lecture mode. "A "falling star" or a "shooting star" has nothing at all to do with a star. Those streaks of light that you see are caused by tiny bits of dust and rock called meteoroids falling into the Earth's atmosphere and burning up." When no one commented he lowered his gaze and met the silent stares of his companions. "But, of course, you all know this, don't you?"He shrugged his shoulders and tucked the afghan under his chin muttering. "I suppose that there's nothing wrong with calling them "falling stars."

Amita laughed out loud. "It's just more romantic to call them 'falling stars" instead of tiny bits of dust and rock, Larry."

"I think a love story would lose a lot of the romance if the couple saw a shooting star and referred to it as bits of dust and rock." Robin agreed softly, taking a sip of her wine."

"Point taken," Larry conceded good-naturedly.

Don had been on the point of dozing off again when one word roused him out of his stupor. "Story?" he repeated, glancing at his brother. "You said you would tell us the rest of your story tonight. Remember?"

"Now?" the mathematician asked his eyes half closed as he snuggled with Amita. "Aren't you guys too tired to listen to it now?"

"He's right, Charlie," Alan said, leaning forward. "You said that you would finish it tonight."

"Oh…all right," the young man sighed reluctantly as he rose to his feet. "But I'm going to get another beer before I start. Does anyone else need a refill?" A few minutes later he returned carrying a bottle of wine and three beer bottles. He passed out the bottles then refilled Robin's, Amita's and Larry's wine glasses before settling back in the swing with Amita.

Charlie scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Where did I stop this morning?"

"Tom had an idea that was going to help you cross off one of the items on your list." Don reminded him quickly.

"Right," the younger man replied, taking a swig of his beer. "Well, as I recall we got into his car and…"

...

_Princeton University_

"_But Tom, I don't understand," Charlie said, as they came to a stop in front of a large, Victorian home located on the outskirts of the campus. "What are we doing here?"_

"_I told you, we're going to cross off number five on your list?" Tom answered, clamoring out of his car."Come on Charlie."The boys were arriving late because they had stopped for pizza and because Tom needed more time to work out his plan. _

"_Now?" Charlie squeaked as he opened the car door. "It's almost eleven thirty. Don't you think that it's kind of late to visit someone?" The sixteen year old glanced worriedly at the house. "Who lives here anyway?"_

"_This is Professor Fleinhardt's house." Tom replied with a wave of his hand. "Come on, there's still a light on downstairs."_

_Charlie grabbed his friend's arm as he walked by him. "Wait. Won't we make him mad if we bother him this late?"_

"_Naw. Flienhardt's a cool professor." He squeezed the young man's shoulder encouragingly. _

"_I know, I like Professor Fleinhardt too," the teenager protested earnestly, "but I don't want to get him mad at me."_

"_Trust me, Charlie. He won't get mad at us."_

_Hesitantly Charlie nodded his head and followed his friend up the sidewalk then stepped up behind him just as Tom was ringing the doorbell. He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and glanced around the moonlit yard while they waited for the professor to answer the door, nervously wondering what kind of trouble he was going to get into for going along with Tom's idea, especially since he still had no idea what his friend was up too. The teenager jumped suddenly, startled by the professor's voice when he called through the closed door._

"_Who's there?" _

"_It's me Professor…Thomas Hill." The young man called out then had to look away as the outside light suddenly flooded the porch._

"_Tom? What in the world are you doing out here at this time of night." He didn't wait for the man to answer but flung open the door. "Is everything all right?"_

"_Everything is okay Professor," Tom replied quickly to put him at ease, "we just wanted to ask a favor of you."_

_Puzzled, Larry tightened the belt to his robe and stepped through the doorway then glanced around the porch. Finally, he squinted up at the boy. "We?"_

"_Oh, sorry Professor," Tom apologized and stepped to the side so Charlie was visible. "Charlie is with me."_

"_Char….Charles Eppes?" Larry asked, his eyes widening in surprise. "What are you doing out so late, and more importantly does your mother know that you are here?"_

"_Ah…..Mom went home for the weekend." The teenager mumbled; his gaze dropping to his shoes._

_Larry tapped his lips thoughtfully, his eyes flickering back and forth between the two young men."I see. So while the proverbial cat is away, the mice intend to play."His gaze settled on the older boy. "Would you say that is an accurate assumption, Mr. Hill?"_

"_Ah…yeah….maybe." Tom mumbled, shrugging uncomfortably; perhaps this hadn't been such a good idea after all._

"_Shall we go inside gentlemen?" The professor stepped aside as he motioned for them to enter then closed the door behind them. "Sit, sit." He ordered waving them toward the sofa then perched himself on the arm of an overstuffed chair directly opposite the boys."You can begin anytime Mr. Hill." Larry said, crossing his arms while he waited for the young man to begin._

"_Well…ah…I first got the idea when I saw Charlie's list and…"_

"_Tom!" Charlie squeaked, a look of surprise and betrayal on his face. "You promised that…."_

"_No…no, Charlie. " Tom said quickly, interrupting his young friend's objection. "I'm only going to tell him about one thing on your list…..that's all…I promise. Just here me out okay?" At Charlie's nod he turned back to the professor._

"_You see sir, Charlie made a list of things that he wanted to accomplish before he graduated from Princeton and since that is only a month away he doesn't have much time to do them and once his Mom gets back on Sunday night….well let's just say that he probably won't get to do any of them at all."_

"_Exactly what is on his list that you feel I can help him with?"Larry asked, his curiosity getting the better of him._

_Tom's eyes widened with anticipation. "Well you see sir, you have a horse….and…and that is one of the things that he has listed on his paper…to ride a horse."_

_Charlie's mouthed gaped open in surprise. "You have a horse Professor?" _

_Larry frowned and shook his head. "I have an old mare, Charles and she barely moves these days."_

_Tom leaned forward eagerly. "But that makes her the perfect horse for Charlie to ride. Don't you see, Professor? She'll move slow and be gentle with him. I can hold onto the reins and walk her around the stable yard and that way Charlie can ride a horse and cross it off of his list. Please sir, all he does is study….he never gets to have any fun."_

"_But it's almost midnight," Larry exclaimed, shooting down the suggestion. "Why don't you come back tomorrow and I'll let you ride her then."_

"_But sir," Tom pleaded, "you're going out of town tomorrow afternoon and this weekend is his only chance."_

"_Please, please Professor," Charlie pleaded; his puppy dog eyes coming into play."Can I? I promise I'll hold on really, really tight….please?"_

_During the three years that Charlie had been at Princeton, he and Larry had spent a great deal of time together but this was the first time that the professor had witnessed Charlie's puppy dog eyes and to his dismay, he found that he had no defense against the boy's pathetic demeanor._

"_Well, ah," he stammered, distracted by the boy's pitiful expression, "perhaps no harm would come from a short ride…..but only a few times around the stable yard."Larry conceded reluctantly, rising from the chair. _

"_Oh, thank you sir." Charlie exclaimed excitedly, jumping to his feet._

"_You won't regret this Professor Fleinhardt, I promise." Tom assured him quickly._

"_Yes, well, I shall hold you to that Mr. Hill. Let's get this over with before it gets any later."_

_The professor led them to the rear of the house, pausing once to grab a flashlight from the closet before heading out of the back door. _

_Motioning for them to follow him he made his way along a gravel pathway that led to the stable. The full moon cast so much light that Larry barely needed the flashlight to illuminate their way even though the stable was a good distance from the house. They walked quietly without talking unwilling to disturb the serenity of the peaceful neighborhood. The only sounds that could be heard were their soft muffled footsteps, the chirping of the insects and the occasional hoot of a distant owl. Occasionally, there was a sound of a slap when one of one of them would swat at a mosquito as it attempted to find an evening meal. _

_Finally, the gate to the stable yard came into view and at eleven forty-five Larry unlatched the wide gate. He was so intent on their task that he closed the gate loosely behind him, unaware that it had swung open as soon as he walked away. The professor unlocked the stable door then flicked on a wall switch; turning off his flashlight he shoved it into one of the deep pockets of his robe. _

_As soon as the light flooded the stable a large gray head appeared over one of the stalls. The horse blinked sleepily, eyeing the intruders warily then lifted her head and snorted loudly._

"_It's alright girl. It's just me."Larry crooned soothingly, waving for them to stop. He continued forward, approaching her from the side so that she could see him clearly. Suddenly at ease, she neighed softly and stepped forward to greet the older man._

"_Easy, Isabel," the professor crooned as he rubbed her cheek. "Charles, Tom, you can come closer now. Approach her from the side so that she can see you clearly; her eyes are on the side of her head so if you walk straight at her she won't see you until you are too close to her and then you may frighten her."_

_Tom moved up first and slowly lifted his hand; gently stroking her neck as he spoke to her. "Hi Isabel."_

_The horse blew out her nose then lowered her head curiously but let Tom continue to pet her._

_Charlie was a little more apprehensive. The horse was __**huge**__….and he was so small; the skinny teenager only weighed in at 110 lbs. As he stared up at the horse he couldn't help but calculate the differences in their sizes; Isabel had to weigh over a thousand pounds. If she fell on him he would be crushed! He swallowed hard; maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all._

_Larry leaned around Tom and motioned for Charlie to move closer. "She won't hurt you, Charles."_

_Tom moved aside as Charlie slowly moved forward. Wide-eyed, he took a deep breath and moved closer to the stall. Tentatively, he stretched out his hand and gently stroked her neck. Sensing his nervousness, Isabel whinnied and tossed her head but didn't move away from him._

"_Wow," Charlie breathed, "she's awesome." The horse neighed again and gently nuzzled his neck. "I think she likes me." He added excitedly._

_Larry chuckled. "Now that the introductions are over I think that we should get started." Putting his words to action, he turned around and picked up a bridle. Opening the stall door he placed it gently over her head. "She hasn't worn a saddle for a long time so since we're just going to lead you around the stable yard why don't we just do this bare back?" Without waiting for an answer he led the horse toward the open doorway; pausing briefly to flip on the outside flood lights._

_The boys followed closely behind them and soon they were all standing near Isabel's head in the well lit stable yard._

_Charlie couldn't keep his eyes off of the horse and once again ran the numbers through his head. "Professor, she's at least 1.4732 meters in height, right?"_

"_Now Charles," Larry clicked his tongue in disapproval and shook his head. "If you are going to measure a horse's height properly then you must measure it in inches from the ground to the highest point of the withers and then convert the inches to "hands"._

"_Withers?" Charlie's brows drew together in puzzlement. "Hands?"_

"_Yes, Charles, hands. You see, horse height is correctly referred to by a unit of measurement known as a "hand." One hand is equal to four inches." While he talked, Larry demonstrated the art of measuring a horse._

_Bored, Isabel turned her head and studied the trio curiously. They woke her up for this? She swished her tail irritably; she could be sleeping soundly in her stall right now. _

"_Isabel stands 58 inches from the ground to the top of her withers." Larry explained, patting the ridge between her shoulder blades. "To get the correct number of hands you must divide 58 by 4, then you have 14.5. The 14 is the number of hands, and the .5 means another half of a hand, or another 2 inches. This means she is 14 and one-half hands tall."_

"_Ah…Professor?" Tom asked tentatively, shifting impatiently from foot to foot. He sensed another lecture coming, and although he enjoyed Fleinhardt's classes, he really wanted to get on with the horse ride. _

_Charlie, however, knew that his math was correct and wasn't about to let it go. "Fifty-eight inches converted to meters is 1.4732, Professor." He grinned broadly. "I was right."_

"_Well, yes and no Charles." Larry replied, slightly flustered, "You see…." He glanced at the horse again and back at the young man. "How did you know that she was 58 inches without taking any measurements?"_

_Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "Just eyeballing her it seemed logical to study the distance from the ground to the highest point on her back and it looked like 58 inches to me."_

_Larry opened his mouth to reply but before he could respond Tom interrupted them in a desperate attempt to get back to the horse ride._

"_It's almost midnight professor. Shouldn't we get started?"_

"_Oh, I suppose so," the professor answered, slightly annoyed because he really wanted to continue his discussion with the young genius. "Charles, we'll have to pick this up at a more opportune time."_

"_Okay professor," Charlie agreed eagerly, his eyes on Tom as his friend knelt beside the horse and clasped his hands together to form a stirrup for the younger boy. Charlie moved forward eagerly and placed his left foot in Tom's hands. Tom rose slowly, giving Charlie time to throw his right leg across the mare's back then held him in place until he gained his balance._

_Isabel tossed her head and moved forward a step eliciting a frightened yelp from the boy as he swayed back and forth from the movement._

"_Easy girl-easy now." Larry crooned softly, holding tightly to the bridle._

_After a moment the teenager was able to sit upright and eagerly took the reins from the older man. Larry maintained his hold on the bridle however, and began to walk Isabel around the stable yard with Tom walking along beside of the horse just in case the younger boy lost his balance._

_Charlie lost himself in the experience and in no time at all, he had forgotten his disappointment over the keg party. He couldn't suppress a grin as the boy within him pushed the genius aside and reveled in the thrill that he felt while riding the horse, but it only lasted a few seconds because he had made a new discovery. The clip-clocking sounds that Isabel made as her hooves hit the ground had formed a pattern and it had only taken the young mathematician a few minutes to pick up on her four- beat gait. The horse's legs followed a sequence: left hind leg left front leg, right hind leg, right front leg, in a regular 1-2-3-4 beat. _

"_Everything is numbers." He murmured quietly, his grin broadening. "Hey, Professor Fleinhardt, did you ever notice that there is a pattern to her steps?"_

"_Mathematicians."Larry sighed with a shake of his head._

"_What do you think Charlie?" Tom asked, noticing the broad smile on the boy's face. "And I don't mean the pattern to her gait."_

"_Wow, this is so awesome," Charlie breathed excitedly, relaxing more and more as he became adjusted to the gentle side-to-side motion of the horse's hips. He leaned forward and patted her neck gently, inhaling her scent as he did so__._

"_I love the way she smells," The teenager exclaimed suddenly. "It's sort of musky…..combined with a sort of… sweet smell."_

"_Most people don't realize that horse's have a very unique smell."Larry chuckled. "It reminds me of sweet hay and oats." _

"_I don't smell anything like that," Tom disagreed, wrinkling his nose, "it smells like something else to me."_

_The professor laughed out loud. "That's because you're not close enough to her, Tom. You're getting a whiff of her hoofs as she walks, and you are aware that she spends a lot of time walking through manure, right?"_

"_Yuk." Tom replied with a grimace. "I'll take the smell of a volcano crater any day."_

_Charlie and Larry both laughed but their laughter was short-lived because as luck would have it, a rabbit chose that moment to hop across the stable yard behind them. Now normally this would not have been a cause for concern but a large owl happened to be circling overhead at that very moment in search of his nightly meal and spotted the hare. On silent wings the owl dove, making a grab for its prey, and as its sharp talons penetrated the soft flesh of the rabbit's body, a sudden, terrifying scream resonated around the stable yard. The close proximity of the dying rabbit's squeal startled everyone…especially Isabel._

_The horse reared up suddenly, eyes rolling with fear as she jerked the bridle right out of Larry's startled hands. Charlie lost the reins and as her front hooves hit the ground, he yelled and fell forward, latching his arms around her neck in a desperate attempt to keep from falling._

_Isabel bolted forward, racing through the open gate with the boy clinging tightly to her neck. "H…hel….lp!" Charlie screamed as both he and the horse disappeared into the darkness._

_For a half a second both men stood stock still, staring into the darkness, their shocked minds trying to comprehend what had just happened….then suddenly they raced from the yard in search of the boy and the horse._

"_Charlie!" Tom yelled as he ran after the horse. _

"_Hold on Charles!" Larry yelled breathlessly as he struggled desperately to get the flashlight out of his pocket while he ran after the horse._

_Frantically, the two men raced along the dirt road that led from the stable to the paved driveway in front of the house. They ran to the edge of the driveway and paused to catch their breath while they checked the ground for signs of the horse's frantic passage. There were two ways that she could have gone; the paved road that led back to the highway or a small dirt road to the right that led to Princeton University's Cranberry bog._

"_Which way?" Tom gasped worriedly, staggering slightly as he caught his breath._

"_I knew this was a bad idea," Larry muttered breathlessly, as he waved the flashlight over the soft ground. _

"_Professor….over here!" Hill cried out urgently. "Shine the flashlight over here!" The boy dropped to his knees and felt the ground beneath him._

_Larry hastily joined him; Isabel's hoof prints were clearly visible in the fluorescent light. The two men exchanged a knowing look and then simultaneously yelled. "The Cranberry bog!"_

_They took off at a dead run, using the flashlight only when the moonlight couldn't reach the darker shadows along the road. Ten minutes later they could see the moving shadow of horse and rider; Charlie had somehow managed to hang on to the horse. Relief flooded through them as they ran forward but it was short lived because several minutes later Isabel came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the cranberry bog. Larry and Tom were only a few feet behind them now but not close enough. Helplessly they watched as Charlie's silhouette flew over the horse's head and landed in the bog. _

"_Nooooo!"Larry shouted over the sound of a loud splash. He stumbled against the horse as he anxiously panned the flashlight over the bog._

"_Charlie!" Tom shouted, jumping into the bog. He surfaced, gulped some air, and then sank back beneath the surface, thrashing all around in his effort to find the teenager. Tom broke the surface of the water again and took a deep breath then called out desperately._

"_Professor! Do you see him?" He thrashed at the water around him. "I can't find him!"_

"_No, not yet!" Larry answered, his voice raising an octave. "Tom what are you doing? Stand up!"_

"_What?" Tom asked, not quite comprehending what the professor was saying._

"_Stand up! You're in a cranberry bog, man, not a lake." Larry threw his hands up in exasperation. "Tom, the water's only five foot deep!"_

_It was only then that Tom realized he had actually been squatting in the water and as he stopped thrashing and rose to his full height he suddenly became aware of laughter coming from the shore. Larry heard it at the same time and panned the flashlight around the shoreline until he found a small figure rolling on the ground, helplessly consumed by a fit of laughter. _

"_Charlie!" Tom shouted frantically, then hastily waded to the edge of the bog; drenched from head to toe, he dropped to his knees beside of the small figure. Slightly bewildered by his young friend's behavior he cautiously stretched out his hand and touched the boy's shoulder. "Charlie?"_

_Anxiously Larry joined him and knelt beside of the giddy teenager. "Charles, are you hurt?"_

"_Nooooo," Charlie gasped, unable to control his laughter; his arms wrapped tightly around his abdomen the boy continued to roll on the ground laughing hysterically._

"_You scared me half to death, Charlie." Tom said crossly, shoving his friend's shoulder playfully. "What's so funny anyway?"_

"_Yo…u…u..u." The giggling boy replied._

_Taken aback, Tom sat back on his heels. "Me?"_

"_Stand up! You're in a cranberry bog, man, not a lake. The water is only five foot deep!" Charlie cried out, mimicking the professor then burst out in another fit of laughter._

"_That's not so funny." Tom retorted, embarrassed by his own actions._

_Larry suddenly giggled then burst into laughter too. "I….I'm sorry…Tom, but he's right." He tried to control his mirth but Charlie's contagious laughter had ensnared him. "That…that was the funniest …thing that I've ever seen."_

_Tom pushed his wet hair out of his eyes then wiped the water from his face; crossing his arms he stared defiantly at the laughing duo trying his best to appear offended but soon his lips began to twitch uncontrollably and he too began to laugh._

_Isabel tossed her head and snorted; people really were a strange lot. She plodded her way over to Larry, reins trailing the ground behind her, and nudged his shoulder nearly knocking him over. She stamped her feet and snorted again as if to say, "I'm tired and I want to go back to bed now."_

"_Okay….okay," The professor sighed, gently batting the horse's head aside. He rose to his feet, dusting off his robe before picking up her reins. "Gentlemen, I believe that Isabel is ready to return to her stall." He glanced down at the two young men. "Shall we go?"_

"_I'm ready Professor," Tom answered eagerly, coming to his feet. He bent over, extending his hand toward the teenager. "Ready, Charlie?"_

"_Ready." Charlie agreed as Tom pulled him to his feet._

"_Might I suggest that the two of you stay over tonight." The professor offered as he turned Isabel around and started back to the house. "I can loan you some pajamas and throw your clothes in the washer. "_

"_Thanks Professor," Charlie replied gratefully, falling into step beside of him. "It'll feel good to get out of these wet clothes."_

"_I can't argue with that," Tom sighed, relieved at the thought. He glanced down at his young friend then nudged him playfully. "What are you grinning at?"_

_Charlie eyes flickered from Tom to Larry, his grin broadening. "That was an awesome ride….just awesome!"_

_Larry clasped both hands to his face and shook his head. "Awesome for you perhaps my boy, but one full of misgiving for me. Why, when I think of what might have happened…"_

"_But it didn't Professor…..everything worked out okay."The young boy replied earnestly, interrupting the older man's lament._

"_Yes…I suppose it did at that," Larry sighed, relieved that the young genius had suffered no apparent injuries from his wild dash from the stable yard._

_As the stable came into view an owl hooted over head and as one they turned to watch its flight from tree to tree._

"_Remarkable, isn't it," the professor commented, "How one random act can affect future events."_

"_What do you mean?" Tom asked, his gaze drifting back to the older man. _

'_It's very simple Tom. If the owl had chosen to get his meal somewhere else then Isabel would not have bolted and Charles's wild ride would never have happened."_

"_I'm glad that it did!" Charlie exclaimed joyfully, reaching up to pat Isabel on the shoulder._

"_The midnight ride of Charlie Eppes." Tom chortled as they entered the stable yard._

"_I'll wager that someday it will be a tale worth telling." Larry chuckled as they entered the barn._

_..._

"The midnight ride of Charlie Eppes." Don murmured teasingly when his brother finished the story." Now that would've been a sight to see."

"Yeah, right." Charlie scoffed, rolling his eyes. "It's lucky for me that you were thousands of miles away in Los Angeles or I'd never have heard the end of it."

Alan leaned forward in his rocker, his eyes flickering from Charlie to Larry. "How come I've never heard this story before?"

"It's not exactly a memory that I choose to inhabit."Larry explained. "I mean, think about it. I was in a position of authority and yet I helped put a student in a situation that could have had terrible consequences. Suppose he had been injured…..or worse?"

"But it didn't, Larry."Charlie reminded him then a thought occurred to him. "Whatever happened to Isabel anyway?"

"Oh, Charles, she lived a good long life before she passed on." Larry said fondly then added teasingly. "But she never had another midnight ride."

"I don't think she really appreciated the one that she had."

"Perhaps not." Larry chortled. "Perhaps not."

Don grinned broadly at his brother; his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hey, Chuck? Did you cross anything else off you list before you graduated?"

"One more thing." Charlie replied as he and Amita rose to their feet. "Tom came over the next night to help me cross another item off my list."

"Well?" Alan asked eagerly, tilting his head up to catch his son's eye.

Charlie's eyes widened then he shook his head. "Oh, no…not tonight. I'm beat and we have to get up early tomorrow."

"Oh, come on, Chuck." Don pleaded; rising to his feet.

"No way, bro."

"I'm with Charlie," Robin said, yawning widely. "Bed sounds good to me too."

The others stood up, gathered up their Afghans and drinks then fell in line behind Charlie and Amita as they opened the front door. They all said good night and headed for their respective rooms but as Charlie closed his bedrooms door he could hear Don chortling: "The midnight ride of Charlie Eppes."

He rolled his eyes at Amita's grin and shook his head. "He's never going to let me forget that is he?"

Barely able to control her laughter, Amita pressed her lips tightly together and simply shook her head no before escaping into the bathroom. Charlie dropped his head with a sigh when he heard giggles coming from behind the closed door; Don wasn't going to be the only one who reminded him of that 'midnight ride'. "Still," he thought as he began to undress, "that had been a good time so why not enjoy the memory?"

A short time later all of the lights were turned off and the cabin became quiet as one by one the living occupants began to fall asleep.

_However, not everyone had settled down for the night, the ghost of Thomas Hill still wandered through the rooms. Doors and walls were no longer barriers for him and he easily passed through the door to Don and Robin's room. He stood at the foot of their bed, staring down at the sleeping couple. _

_For many years Don had been an enigma to him and it had taken him years to understand the man. Tom had taken a dislike to him at first, only seeing the hurt that Don's rejection caused his younger brother, then as he got to know the agent he realized how hard it had been for him to grow up in the shadow of a "genius" little brother. _

_Perhaps he would've been the same way if Charlie had been his real 'little brother' but he hoped that he wouldn't have been. Things were different now, though, and the two of them had come to terms with their childhood issues. It had taken many years but Don had finally become the big brother that Charlie had longed for and Tom was grateful for that. Hill gazed_ _thoughtfully at the sleeping agent; that relationship was fragile though, the guilt that Don was feeling could destroy it and he had to find a way to help him._

_Thomas turned away and glided effortlessly through the wall to Alan and Larry's room; he held a deep respect for both of these men. In life, Alan had treated him like a son and Larry had been his mentor and had become a dear friend in later years._

_Unnoticed, he slipped into Charlie's and Amita's room then made his way to Charlie's side of the bed. He tilted his head thoughtfully as he studied his sleeping friend. They'd almost lost him today and even though Tom had been there and tried to halt his slide Charlie had passed right through him. "Some protector I am," he whispered bitterly."I couldn't even stop you from going over the ridge." _

_Tom stepped back and sat down on a small stool near the door. He couldn't help him today but maybe tomorrow he could help Charlie and Don put their fears behind them. For now, all he could do was stay by Charlie's side and keep his silent vigil. _

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Seasons

By

1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for your reviews. They're very much appreciated.

Chapter 8:

The deepening night did little to ease the apprehension that the ghost of Thomas Hill was feeling, in fact it was having the opposite effect on the entity. A sense of foreboding had enveloped him and he began to pace nervously around the room in an effort to control his growing uneasiness.

"Am I doing the right thing?"Tom agonized as his frenzied steps brought him once again to Charlie's bedside. Sorrow and regret filled his eyes as he gazed at his sleeping friend. "It's the only way, Charlie. You've got to understand that…I…I don't know what else to do." But Charlie continued to sleep, showing no sign that he was aware of Tom's presence.

"Why can't you hear me?" The entity cried out in frustration then turned on his heel and began to frantically pace the room again.

Moonlight filtered in through the bedroom window and as Tom passed through a ray of light his pale visage became visible. He stumbled to a halt when his eyes caught his own reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall directly in front of him. What he saw wasn't a solid image however it was more like a faded reproduction of an old photograph, a manifestation of his former self that was being projected onto the mirror by the refracted light of the moon beam.

His forest-green hooded jacket and blue jeans looked so faded that if he hadn't known their original colors he would have thought they were gray and black but what jolted him more was the look of his face and the color of his skin. Tom had spent most of his life in the sunlight and had always sported a dark tan but now his face and hands were so pale that they were almost translucent. He barely recognized himself; his collar length hair looked more white than blonde, and his face was lined from strain and worry. But it was his eyes that shocked him the most; blue eyes that had once been so full of life had grown dark, dulled by its loss. He needed no further proof of his death than the haunted, hollow-eyed visage that he saw in the mirror for surely that reflection no longer belonged in the world of the living.

Hill raised his hands and studied them in the beam of light; it was distressing the way the dust motes passed through them so easily. Is that what he had become? Nothing more than a residual form of energy mixed with a few dust motes; the remnants of a life that had once been full of promise. The refrain from a favorite song began to play over and over in his mind. "Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind." The KANSAS song seemed oddly appropriate at that moment and his shoulders drooped even further as he thought about it. If that's all he was then why was he still here? Why could he still think and feel emotions if that was all he was….and…and what about the light that kept coming for him? Would it keep returning if he was just some left over energy and a few dust particles?

Abruptly Tom's hands clenched into tight fists as the heat of anger coursed through him. "No!" he shouted angrily, denying the possibility that it was true. "There is more to me than that!" He put his head back and howled in righteous outrage. "It isn't fair! Schiller had no right to take my life from me!" Then, just as quickly his rage disappeared and he sank to one knee, bowing his head in defeat. "I should still be alive," he sobbed brokenly, "it just isn't fair." In truth there was no one left to rage against, the man who had taken his life was dead too.

"What?" Charlie suddenly called out sleepily. "Is someone there?" He rose up, leaning back on his elbows and gazed blearily around the room.

Tom's head jerked up in surprise; his blue eyes suddenly ablaze with hope. Had Charlie heard him? Maybe he would be able to see him too? But as Hill jumped to his feet, a cloud passed in front of the moon and the shaft of light disappeared, plunging the room into total darkness. Nevertheless, the spirit rushed to his friend's side with the hope that he would finally be able to communicate with him but just as he got there the mathematician mumbled "I must have been dreaming" and lay back down again, his eyes already closed as he pulled the covers up over his shoulders. In only a matter of seconds Charlie's breathing slowed and he fell back into a deep slumber.

Tom's shoulders sagged with disappointment; he had lost count of how many times he'd tried to get Charlie to hear him but they had all failed. He was almost positive that his friend had heard him yesterday morning but as usual the mathematician had reasoned it away. There was hope though because for the first time his friend had shown an indication that he had actually heard him.

"It's ironic," Tom mused bitterly, eyes locked on his friend. "The one person that I need to talk too can't even hear me and the one I can talk too, a total stranger, is the last person in this world that I would've even considered speaking too."

His world had been ripped from him and as he thought of the stranger his surroundings suddenly shifted. Odd, how he could change his locations like that just by thinking about someone.

Hill suddenly found himself standing in a motel room in Castle Rock. The couple sleeping in the queen size bed had fallen asleep while watching a television show; the TV station had signed off the air and the now snowy screen cast a faint glow around the room.

Tom stepped closer to the bed and regarded the sleeping man by the incandescent light. He couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation as he studied the man's all too familiar facial features. Frowning, he tilted his head to the side thoughtfully as he reflected upon the last few months. The spirit had been inexplicably drawn to this person but he didn't know why and now he found himself standing by the man's bedside; someone that he should probably despise, but didn't.

His gaze drifted to the nightstand next to the bed and he couldn't suppress a shudder when his eyes fell upon an object resting there. Tom's face contorted with fear and loathing at the nearness of the thing and he recoiled from it by taking a step backwards

"You have come." It was a statement not a question spoken quietly by the man in the bed. He rose to a sitting position, careful not to wake the woman lying next to him.

Tom's eyes darted back to meet the sleep-filled hazel eyes of the stranger, although he really couldn't classify him as a stranger anymore; they had met too many times for Hill to call him that. He suspected that their connection had something to do with the article on the nightstand… or perhaps it was the identity of the person before him that had brought them together.

"You will be there?" The spirit asked, ignoring the man's statement because he was suddenly desperate to have his assurance that he would carry out his part of Tom's plan. His eyes darted back to the nightstand. "And…and you will bring that…that thing with you?"

"I have said that I would," the man replied earnestly, following the phantom's gaze."But after seeing the effect that it has on you I have to wonder if it is such a good idea." He hesitated a moment, weighing and measuring the almost translucent figure standing before him; despite the phantasm's wispy appearance he could plainly see the anguish in its eyes. "Are you sure that you want to expose your friends to it tomorrow?"

An agonized expression crossed Tom's face and when he spoke his voice was filled with regret. "It's the only way they will listen. I don't believe that they will accept the truth without it."

"Will you be there?"

"Of course. I will be with Charlie and Don." Tom inclined his head thoughtfully studying the man. "Why can you see and hear me but they cannot?"

"I cannot speak for them," the man replied softly with a slight shrug of his shoulders, "but as for me, I've had the ability to see and talk with departed souls since I was a small child; it was rumored that my great- great grandmother could do it also."

Tom eyes lit up curiously "Is that why you are not afraid of me…. why my appearance doesn't frighten you?"

The man's brows drew together as he searched for the right words. "I have no sense of evil within you, dear specter, only confusion and perhaps a little desperation."

"Have any of his other victims contacted you?"

"No. Perhaps they have already crossed over."

"Crossed over?" Tom asked, surprised by his answer, then his head came up with a jerk. "That is what the light is for ….isn't it?

"Yes, Thomas, "the man replied fervently, hoping to give the spirit some peace. "You must go into the light to cross over. You are no longer of this world…that is your world now. Why are you still here?"

Ton scowled suddenly, his eyes hardening. "You already know why-that is the reason you were brought here."

"Your loyalty to your friends is quite admirable." When Tom didn't say anything he sighed heavily and whispered, "I want very much to assist you and perhaps in some small way it might help to right the wrong that was done to you."

"Nothing can right that wrong!" Tom hissed angrily, his eyes growing darker. "Have you ever seen _**his **_spirit lurking about?"

"No…noo." The man stammered out, suddenly frightened by the malevolent look in the phantom's eyes. "That mad soul has not crossed my path."

"Then you should consider yourself lucky that you have not looked into those cold eyes the way that my friends and I have!" Tom forced himself to look away, fighting the over-whelming urge to release the full force of his anger against the man. "I must go." He said abruptly and fled the motel room without another word.

"As you wish, dear specter, as you wish." The man whispered sadly as the apparition vanished into thin air.

He lay back down and closed his eyes as a feeling of dread began to grow deep within his heart. The man was aware of the horrifying events that Don and Charlie Eppes had experienced at the hands of Ludwig Schiller, both by his own research and by Hill's account of what had happened to him. His eyes flickered to the nightstand, he really didn't want to do what the ghost had asked of him but considering the circumstances he had no other choice but to follow the spirits instructions; it was the least that he could do for the ghost of Thomas Hill-he owed him that much.

….

The tormented soul of Thomas Hill stood on the summit of Mt. Saint Helens and lent his voice to the howling winds that lashed at the mountain. He felt as if he was one with the elements, a part of the wind itself and released his anger and frustration with abandon, flailing mindlessly against the mountainside.

Finally, his energy spent, the spirit sat down on the cornice of the summit and gazed at the world that had once been his. Framed by millions of stars, the snow-capped peaks of Mount Adams, Mount Hood and Mount Rainier seemingly floating above a sea of white billowy clouds brought a sense of serenity to the entity and he relished in the peace of the moment.

The feeling was short-lived, however, as Tom's thoughts turned to the approaching day. Anxiously, he wrung his hands together at the realization that soon his plan would see fruition. "What if I am wrong? What if it just makes things worse?"

A sense of urgency suddenly coursed through him; quickly rising to his feet he turned in the direction of the cabin. Tom's eyes took on a distant look; dawn was approaching-he knew it instinctively.

"I have to hurry!" He thought worriedly, vanishing with the blink of an eye and materialized in front of his old cabin just as the night sky began to give way to the gray clouds of early morning. He rushed into the cabin, passing through Don's room first and paused by his beside. Anxiously, he scanned the agent's face and was dismayed to note that his nightmare was already beginning.

"It's not real, Don. It's just a dream! " Tom cried out, grasping the agent's hand but he showed no signs of hearing him. "Please Don, let it go!" he pleaded desperately but after a moment he straightened up, admitting defeat.

"I'm sorry." The spirit whispered sadly then turned and fled to Charlie's room. The mathematician was usually awake by now but both he and his wife were still in a deep sleep; no doubt the result of their strenuous hike up Mt. St. Helens.

Sweat was beginning to form on Charlie's forehead and upper lip; a tell-tale sign that he was already slipping into the nightmare. Tom placed a hand on his forehead in an effort to wake him but Charlie remained ensnared in the nightmare. Hill glanced at the clock, four-fifty six, and four long minutes to go. He hovered at Charlie's side, watching helplessly as his friends heart began to beat rapidly and could do nothing when Charlie began to pant breathlessly. His facial features alternated between pain and fear and just when Tom was sure that Charlie's heart couldn't take any more the mathematician's horror-filled eyes popped open.

"Tom? " Charlie whispered in awe, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion at the sight of the hovering figure by his bedside.

Tom's heart soared; Charlie had seen him…actually seen him and for a brief moment he thought that he could call off his plan but then the mathematician rubbed his eyes to clear his vision and Tom realized from his friend's expression that he could no longer be seen. Tom stepped back, his elation fading but he took solace in the fact that for a brief moment Charlie had seen him.

"Damn!" Charlie cursed bitterly, rising carefully to a sitting position. He'd failed to wake before dawn and the nightmare had taken its toll on him; even now his heart was still racing out of control. He covered his mouth with a trembling hand and rubbed his chin nervously as he stared long and hard at the side of his bed as if he expected something to appear there; resisting the urge to switch on the lamp because he didn't want to wake up his wife.

Charlie let out a relieved breath as daylight began to seep in through the curtained windows; chasing away the shadows in the room. He glanced at Amita then pulled the covers up over her shoulder as he eased himself out of bed.

On wobbly legs he braced a hand against the wall as he gathered himself together; the dreams were getting worse. He ran his other hand through his sweat-soaked curls as his eyes fearfully swept the room; his dreams were beginning to overlap into reality because he could swear that he had just seen Tom with his waking eyes. He almost laughed out loud with relief when Tom failed to materialize in front of him; for a minute there he'd expected to see his friend's ghost hovering in the air in front of him.

Sliding his feet into his slippers he shuffled over to pick up his robe where it had fallen to the floor. A groan slipped his lips as he bent over to pick it up; the aches and pains from the hike were beginning to make themselves known. Charlie arched his back and stretched his arms and legs in an effort to ease some of those aches but knew from experience that it would take a while to work them out. The nightmare was already beginning to fade as his thoughts turned to the day's festivities and as he stepped into the shower he pushed them aside for another day.

…

On the other side of the cabin a door closed softly as Don left his bedroom. He tightened the belt on his robe as the cool air hit his sweat-soaked body before shuffling toward the bathroom. He cocked his head suddenly, listening to the sound of running water.

"Crap," he muttered; someone had beaten him to the shower.

"Oh well," he thought with a slight shrug, "I have dibs on the next one."

Deciding to brew a pot of coffee instead, he changed direction and headed for the kitchen. The agent walked slowly because his muscles were aching from his hike up the mountain. He felt a sharp pain in his hip and paused to rub it in an effort to ease his discomfort. "Now I know how Dad feels," he grumbled irritably as he reached the kitchen counter.

Although his muscles resisted his efforts he still managed to fill up the coffee maker and grab a mug while he waited for it to brew. A few minutes later he was rewarded with a warm cup of java and eased himself down onto one of the kitchen stools.

Don took a warm sip then rubbed his right shoulder, trying to relive his tight muscles. The agent couldn't blame it all on the hike though; he knew very well that his nightmare had added to the tension in his neck and shoulder muscles.

"Damn," he thought bitterly, he had planned to get up before dawn but had overslept. He hated when that happened because the dreams were growing stronger and to make matters worse, this time he even thought that he had heard Tom's voice. He scrubbed a trembling hand through his hair as he thought about it; he really had to see Bradford now or he was going to end up like "crazy Ludwig."

The sound of running water suddenly stopped and Don glanced down the hallway just in time to see Charlie slip back into his bedroom.

"My turn," he murmured, sliding off of the stool. "Oh, man!" He groaned as he hobbled toward the bathroom. "How am I going to play baseball today when I can barely walk?"

Gingerly, he stepped into the shower and as the hot water washed over him he could feel the muscles in his neck and shoulders begin to relax. He pushed the dream out of his mind for another day and thought about his fellow hikers.

"I'm not the only one that is going to have sore muscles today." Don chuckled to himself; it was more bearable knowing that he wouldn't be suffering alone.

TBC

A/N: Chapter 9 will not be posted until after the New Year.

_I wish A Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it and a Happy Hanukah to all of my Jewish readers. A Happy New Year to all and I hope it brings you good health and happiness. _


	9. Chapter 9

Seasons

By 1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for taking the time to review. I truly appreciate them.

Chapter 9:

"Hurry up or we're going to be late." Don exclaimed, impatiently holding the front door open for Robin and Larry.

"I'm going as fast as I can, Don." Robin replied, gracing him with a frustrated glare. "I'm sore all over this morning."

"I know exactly how you feel, my dear." Larry concurred, emitting a groan as he stepped out onto the porch. "Every movement I make is accompanied by a sharp reminder of our hike yesterday. "

Don chuckled, "You should've seen Charlie and Amita when they left this morning. I think Dad was moving faster than they were." He turned to close the door, wincing as the slight movement caused a sharp pain in his shoulder, then tried to hide his discomfort as he stepped off the porch and limped toward the car.

Noting the hitch in the agent's gait Robin and Larry couldn't help but share a grin as they stepped from the porch and hobbled toward the Suburban.

"How long ago did the others leave?" Robin asked breathlessly, climbing gingerly into the passenger seat.

"About thirty minutes ago." Don replied opening the glove compartment and tucking his gun inside; even though he was off duty he always kept his Glock handy.

"But the ceremony doesn't start until 10:00 a.m.," Robin replied defensively. "We still have lots of time before it begins."

"Charles was anxious to get there and make sure the dedication plaque was in place and Alan had promised Faye that he would be there early enough to help set up the tables."Larry explained, emitting another groan as he closed the rear door. "Don has it ever occurred to you to own a vehicle that sits closer to the ground," he huffed in frustration.

A smile spread across Don's face as he looked in the rear view mirror. "Ah, no, Larry, I can't say that it has." The agent hadn't missed the diminutive professor's slow and painful climb into the SUV.

"Charlie's Prius is much more acclimated to people of my stature." Fleinhardt complained irritably then suddenly jerked his head up to met Don's eyes in the mirror. Jabbing his finger pointedly at the agent he exclaimed. "Don't say it."

Don had opened his mouth to tease Larry about his height but did a quick about face. His eyebrows lifted in mock innocence as he uttered a single word. "What?"

Larry didn't answer but stared at him suspiciously for another moment then mumbled under his breath while he buckled his seatbelt.

Don was having trouble controlling his laughter and a glance at Robin didn't help matters. She had covered her mouth to keep from laughing but her eyes glistened with mirth prompting him to cover his own mouth while pretending to cough to cover a chuckle that had escaped his lips. He looked away and focused on starting the engine then pulled out onto the road.

In an attempt to change the subject he brought up Robin's earlier comment about the time of the ceremony and gave her a sideways glance. "We still need time to get our stuff set up before the ceremony starts too."

"Oh, that's right," Robin nodded, "I'd forgotten about that." She glanced up at the sky. "Well at least the weather is cooperating today. It would have been a shame to have to move everything indoors."

As the weather man had predicted the sun was shining brightly in a cloudless blue sky promising warm temperatures for the day's activities

"Amen to that." Don muttered as he came to a stop sign then made the left turn that would take them into town.

It was a short ride to Castle Rock Park and in only a few minutes the town's namesake loomed before them. Because of its sheer size, the 400 foot high monolith of granite actually looked like it was at the edge of the park instead of miles away where it towered above the Wenatchee River.

As the agent flicked on his turn signal he emitted a low whistle. "It's a good thing that we didn't wait too long or parking would be a problem."

Even though the ceremony didn't officially start until ten o'clock the parking lot was already filling up; families were arriving early enough to make sure that they were able to get a picnic table. Don spotted an empty space near his brother's Prius and darted in before another driver could take it.

"It's beautiful here," Robin murmured as they climbed out of the Suburban.

The call of an eagle drew their attention and three pairs of eyes drifted upward to follow the bird's path across the sky. Abruptly the sound of running feet and laughter brought their attention back to earth as two eight year old boys ran past them followed immediately by two older girls.

"You're going to pay for that Andy!" One of the girls shouted angrily as she sped by the parked SUV. "You gotta catch me first!" The larger of the two boys yelled over his shoulder as he and his companion deftly avoided a collision with a DJ carrying his equipment to a table that had been set up near the podium.

Larry tapped his lips thoughtfully as he followed the flight of the boys. "Do you think that we should offer assistance?"

"Naw." Don said with a grin and a shake of his head. "The girls will never catch them- those boys are too fast."

Robin gave him a sly look. "I'm not so sure about that. They may find out the hard way that it's a mistake to piss off a girl."

"I heard that." Don muttered, sliding down his sunglasses to glance at her over the rims before turning away to open the rear hatch on the Suburban.

Robin giggled then turned to scan the park; her eyes settling on a table located near the temporary podium that had been set up for the dedication. "Amita and Alan are over there." She gestured in their direction before bending down to pick up a cherry pie that she had made for the occasion.

Don and Larry grabbed a few folding chairs from the back of the SUV then the trio wove their way through the growing crowd to get to the table.

The three-acre park was located at the edge of town and was carefully tended to by the small community. One corner of the park had been fenced in and contained slides, swings, small climbing walls and a merry-go-round for the smaller children. A bigger climbing wall and a larger set of swings stood outside of the fence for the older children to use. To the right of the playground was a baseball field complete with stands for the spectators. Don's eyes lit up excitedly; it had been far too long since he had gripped a baseball bat and despite his aches and pains his lips parted in a grin as he thought about the upcoming game.

Cement picnic tables dotted the right side of the park but they were headed for rows of tables being set up to hold a variety of wares. It looked more like a small fair complete with food vendors, bingo games, raffle tickets, and face painting for the kids. There was also going to be a pie eating contest and both Alan and Larry had already signed up to be judges.

As the trio approached them Hank, his wife Emily and Faye joined Alan and Amita then they all began to look at photographs that Hank handed out.

"I don't understand what caused that," Amita murmured out loud just as Don and the others joined them.

"Caused what?" Don asked, coming to a stop beside of her.

The others looked up at their arrival and exchanged greetings then Amita handed one of the pictures to Don. "These are some of the pictures that I took yesterday. Hank printed out the ones with the new trail marker in them so that everyone can see what it looks like but look here," she said, pointing to a spot on the photo. "There is a blurred spot right behind Charlie and it's in all of the pictures, either behind him or you."

Don slid his sunglasses down to view the picture then lowered it so that Robin and Larry could get a good look at it. "Huh?" He huffed curiously before passing the photo to Robin. He pulled off his sunglasses while he perused the other pictures, a puzzled expression crossing his face. "What would cause something like that?"

Frowning, Amita shook her head. "I haven't a clue

"Perhaps it's just a simple case of bad film." Emily suggested.

"Ah, Em," Hank said gently, "she used a digital camera-no film."

Emily's face reddened, embarrassed by her comment. "Oh, sorry, guess I'm showing my age here."

"Not at all," Alan said hastily, coming to her defense. "You weren't there so you couldn't have known what kind of camera was used."

"Perhaps it's the paper and not the images." Larry offered. "What is Charles's assessment of the anomaly?"

"Charlie hasn't seen them yet." Alan responded, picking up another photo and squinting at it. "Hank just brought them over."

"Hey, where did Chuck get to anyway?" Don asked, picking up the folding chairs that he had leaned against the table.

Alan looked up, adjusting his glasses; his head swiveling in all directions while he searched for his youngest son. "There he is…over there by the dedication plaque."

Don turned, noted his brother's location then faced his father again. "Dad, where do you want us to put these?"

"Set them up by that table over there," Alan said pointing with his chin to a picnic table sitting in the shade of a large pine.

"Nice spot, Pop," Don remarked with a nod of his head. He and Larry carried the chairs over to the table with Alan, Robin and Amita following. The girls spread a table cloth over it to get it ready for them to use later on then set a few things on top of it to prevent it from blowing away in the light breeze.

Don glanced at the table next to them where Emily and Faye were preparing their own table for use. Kenny and his girlfriend joined them as well as two of Faye's grandsons and one of her daughters. Don gazed briefly at his father then back at Faye; he had a strong hunch that she had chosen that particular table just to be near Alan.

"I'll go down and get the cooler." Don said turning to leave before Alan could see his grin.

Larry had sat down in one of the chairs and started to rise at his words. "Do you need a hand with that, Don?"

Don waved his hand dismissively. "Naw, I got it. Stay where you are."

On the way to the car the agent chose a path that would take him by the dedication site. Charlie was on his knees in front of a large rock wiping off a bronze plaque that had been attached to the face of the rock. Behind the rock stood a small tree that had recently been planted and was still staked out to ensure that it would grow straight. It was loaded with numerous clusters of white flowers which stood out brightly against a dense mass of dark green, lustrous foliage. A red ribbon encircled the area and would be cut later during the ceremony.

"Pretty tree," Don commented coming to a standstill beside of his brother. "What kind is it?"

"Oh…hey, Don." Charlie greeted him, surprised that he hadn't heard his brother's approach. "It's called the Washington Hawthorn. Tom always talked about planting one of them near the cabin but he never got around to it." His eyes flitted upwards briefly catching Don's gaze and added with a chuckle. "Just don't get too close to it or its thorns will get you."

"Thorns, huh?" Don huffed, squatting down next to him to get a closer view of the plaque. Charlie had told him about it but this was the first time that he had actually seen it. The 24" by 14" cast bronze memorial plaque had a bas-relief sculpture of Mt. St. Helens carved across the top with the dedication written beneath it.

_Dedicated to the memory_

_Of_

_Thomas Hill_

_Tom's time on this Earth was far too short so we will not measure his life in years _

_But by the endless love and joy he brought to us._

_1971-2011_

Beneath the dedication was a smaller sculpture of Tom kneeling on the ground, taking samples of the dirt.

Don ran his finger lightly over the sculpture. "That looks just like him." He glanced sideways at his brother then read the inscription again. "That's beautiful, Charlie." Don started to rise but stopped with a groan. "Oh, man," he complained. "Every muscle in my body hurts today."

"Tell me about it." His brother muttered sarcastically. "My arms and shoulders are killing me."

Don grinned suddenly and nudged Charlie on the arm. "You should have seen Robin this morning," he chuckled. "I didn't think she was going to be able to get out of bed."

Charlie nodded his head and snickered, "Yeah, it took Amita awhile too."

Don's grin faded to a grimace as he finally managed to rise to his feet; becoming serious once again as he re-read the thoughtful words engraved on the dedication plaque.

"I think Tom would have liked that."

The young professor swallowed hard then sighed heavily. After a moment he cleared his throat and slowly came to his feet. "I…ah..think that he would have too." He met Don's eyes briefly then shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the plaque.

Don eyed him for a moment, weighing and measuring his younger brother. Charlie was still grieving; he could see it in his eyes. Even after all this time his brother was still coming to terms with Tom's violent death. Don cleared his own throat before casually hooking an arm around Charlie's neck; releasing his grip slightly when he noticed his brother flinch at his touch.

"Come on bro," he said, gently pulling the younger man with him as he started for his car. "I can use your help to get the cooler up to the picnic table."

Charlie winced at the contact but didn't pull away. "Uhm…doesn't it have wheels?" He snickered, keeping pace with his brother.

Don growled good-naturedly. "What's your point?"

Charlie shrugged innocently, his lips curving upwards in a smile. "I'm just saying…."

"Uh, huh. I hear you," Don muttered with a grin, noting the change in Charlie's demeanor, "but you're still going to give me a hand."

The brotherly banter continued all the way to the car and by the time they had rejoined the others Charlie's spirits had lifted considerably. After everything was set up they sat at the table joking around while they watched the park fill up with people. As the ten o'clock hour approached numerous picnic blankets dotted the green grass and there wasn't an empty table to be found.

"It's time," Charlie announced, taking Amita's hand in his. As a group they walked over to the podium and joined the crowd that was beginning to gather there.

People began to drift toward the stand, nodding casually and waving to one another. There were men, women and children of all ages, dressed in shorts, jeans, sneakers and tees, all eager for a fun, relaxing day at the park and by the time the mayor made his way to the podium there were several hundred people milling around in front of him.

The tall, thin man that tapped lightly on the microphone to test it didn't have the look of the quintessential politician instead he had the appearance of a man that had spent most of his life working outdoors. His weathered face and gray hair stood out in stark contrast to his strong muscular arms that were revealed by the short sleeved shirt that he was wearing. In fact; Mayor Jason Haldor spent most of the time taking care of his apple orchard that was located a few miles outside of town. He was a fair and honest man who treated people equally despite their stations in life and was currently serving his second term as an elected official.

Jason cleared his throat and looked out at the crowd before him. "We have gathered here today to honor and remember a friend. Thomas Hill was not originally from Castle Rock, like many who have chosen to settle here, but he had become one of us. He was a man who didn't enjoy fancy affairs and was more at home in the outdoors so I know that he would have approved of this type of gathering far more than any formal dedication." He paused to take a breath. "I thought long and hard about my speech today and finally decided to keep it a short one because that's what Tom would have wanted. To that end I'd like to quote a verse from _Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:_

_To everything there is a season,_

_And a time to every purpose under heaven. _

_A time to weep, and a time to laugh; _

_A time to mourn and a time to dance._

Jason's eyes flitted over the crowd as he spoke. "At the request of Charles Eppes we have chosen today, Tom's birthday, as a day to honor his memory. Our season for mourning Tom's death has come to an end and now is the season for us to celebrate his life with laughter and fond memories."

A quiet murmur rippled through the crowd as the people who knew Tom best nodded their heads and voiced their agreement. Jason waited until the noise level had subsided and then began again.

"Yesterday Hank Fisher, Kenny and Tom's family," he said with a nod to Charlie and his family, "hiked up Mt. Saint Helens and with the help of Ranger Neil Harper re-named one of the trails after Tom."

A cheer broke out among the people so once again he had to pause. "Photographs of the trail marker are on the table where the raffle basket is currently displayed." He waved a hand at a table to his right.

"We all worked hard to get this to happen but no one put more time or effort into it than the man that Tom fondly called his younger brother, Dr. Charles Eppes." He dropped his gaze to Charlie. "Dr. Eppes not only inundated the U.S Forest Service with our petitions to get the name of the trail changed but he also donated the dedication plaque and the Washington Hawthorne tree as well." He gestured to his left to point out the location of the tree and plaque. "At this time I would like to ask Dr. Eppes to say a few words." Jason clapped his hands together and stepped back as Charlie took the podium.

The young professor looked out over the large crowd and smiled. "I did not prepare a speech today because Tom was not a fan of long speeches and since this event is in his honor I thought it best to just say a few words. The fact that so many of you have come here today to help us celebrate his life would mean more to Tom than any speech could have anyway so please enjoy yourselves today." Charlie's eyes drifted over the people before he spoke again. "He once told me that he felt like he had lived in Castle Rock all of his life and that was because all of you accepted him as one of your own….and that meant a lot to him." He paused as clapping and cheers erupted from the crowd. "A few months before Tom's death he called to tell me that he was on the verge of a great discovery but as we are all well aware- he never got the chance to finish it; to that end I've entrusted his research to a noted volcanologist so that the work that he was so passionate about can be completed. Dr. Helmut Siegfried is one of the leading scientists in this field and has agreed to give Tom equal credit for any discoveries that may develop from Tom's research. Also, any profit made from these discoveries or from any publications attributed to his research will be put in a scholarship fund under Tom's name; The Thomas Hill Scholarship will be used to help educate future budding volcanologists." Another round of clapping burst forth from the crowd and Charlie waved his hand to quiet them down."Thank you again for coming and I truly hope that you enjoy today's festivities." He turned to face the mayor, shook his hand and stepped to the side.

"Let's give Professor Eppes a big hand," Jason demanded, clapping along with the crowd as he stepped up to the podium. He was silent for a moment, sniffed the air then grinned. "Ah…there's nothing like the smell of food cooking to make a person hungry." He gestured toward a large grill where a man was beginning to cook hamburgers and hot dogs. "Like many of our vendors, Roscoe will donate any money that he makes today to the local Big Brothers' organization so I hope that all of you will work up a good appetite and to help you do that we have planned many activities for you to participate in today. You'll find copies of the events scheduled today on the table where the photographs are displayed; please stop by and pick one up."

"At this time I would like to introduce David Miller of WSAZ radio in Portland." He said, gesturing toward the table where the DJ was set up. "He has kindly volunteered to provide us with music today so if you have any special requests feel free to ask him about them." On the mayor's cue Ben E. King's "Stand by Me" burst forth from the DJ's speakers.

Jason motioned for Charlie to join him and together they walked over to the dedication plaque. The mayor offered Charlie the scissors and to the cheers of the crowd, Charlie cut the red ribbon surrounding the tree and plaque. Afterward, they turned to face the cheering crowd and then the mayor once again waved them all to silence.

"Let us come together on this day and remember our dear friend by celebrating his life with laughter in our hearts and music in our steps."

Mayoral duties completed for the day, Jason shook Charlie's hand again then turned and joined his family as they made their way to the picnic table that they had chosen.

Faye was giving Charlie a hug by the time that Alan and the others made it through the crowd to join him. She wiped her eyes and glanced down at the carving. "That looks just like Tom and now I'll always be able to see him doing what he loved to do most. Thank you _sooo_ much." Impulsively, she hugged him again, this time a little harder than before.

"You're welcome Faye."Charlie mumbled, wincing from the contact but he didn't pull back. His upper back, shoulder and arm muscles were particularly sore from the strain of holding onto the rock yesterday. So far they had managed to keep the incident from their father and he intended to keep it that way; as far as he and Don were concerned Alan didn't need to know how close Charlie had come to dying and to that end they had sworn everyone who had been on the hike to secrecy.

"That's really nice, Charlie." Alan said, stepping up beside of his youngest.

"Thanks, Dad."

Don clapped Charlie lightly on the shoulder. "Well done, bro, well done."

"Thanks," Charlie said, flinching slightly from the contact. "I liked it too."

"Me too," Amita said, sidling between Robin and Alan to reach Charlie's side.

"Thanks," he replied before they shared a kiss.

"Now what do we do?" Robin asked.

Charlie looked at each of them then his face broke into a grin. "Now we celebrate."

Don's face suddenly lit up with excitement. "Come on guys," he urged them. "We need to check out the signup sheet for the baseball game."

Robin rolled her eyes, "How can you even think of baseball?"

Alan gestured in the opposite direction. "Faye and I still have a few more things to set up but you can sign me up for one of the base coach positions."

"Don, I don't know how you can expect us to play ball when we can barely move. Charrless, are you sure about this?" Larry whined but fell into step with his companions.

Alan's eyebrows lifted with humor as he watched them walk away; every single one of them were complaining and rubbing at a different part of their bodies. Don and Charlie were kneading their shoulders, Amita and Robin their lower backs while Larry limped along and rubbed the upper thigh of his right leg. Occasionally a word would drift back to his ears and inevitably it would be either "ow", "ouch" or "wow, that really hurts".

"Now that's going to be an interesting game." Alan chuckled sarcastically; his gaze dropped to Faye and they shared a grin.

"Shall we?" He asked, crooking his arm for her to take. She giggled, took his arm and to the rousing tune of Credence Clearwater Revival's "Looking out My Back Door" they made their way back to the tables.

…

As the crowd dispersed three people strolled over to the dedication plaque but their eyes were on the five friends walking toward the baseball field.

One of them, a young woman in her early twenties glanced sideways at the tall man standing next to her. "Tom is with them, Papa."

"Yes, daughter, I see him too." The man answered with a heavy sigh; on more than one occasion he had regretted the fact that his daughter had inherited his ability to see the dead.

"They seem like really nice people." The third member of the trio observed; she was an older woman, much the same age as the man.

"Yes they do, don't they?" The man answered quietly with a brief glance at her then his eyes drifted out toward the field again.

The woman took his arm and squeezed his forearm until he met her eyes once again. "You are certain that this is the right thing to do?" She asked anxiously, searching her husband's face until she saw the grim determination in his eyes. He didn't speak but just nodded his head in affirmation.

"Of course you are or we would not be here." She mumbled; her eyes darted to the two young men near the baseball field. "When?" She simply asked, releasing her hold on his arm and resigning herself to what was to come.

Her husband didn't speak right away but stood silently as the ghost of Thomas Hill raised its head to meet his gaze. After a moment he cleared his throat and replied. "Tom will let me know when the time is right. In the meantime we should enjoy ourselves like everyone else is doing."

The younger woman squeezed his hand and said."I like them, Papa."

The man eyes flickered back to the brothers then he sighed sadly; squeezing her hand gently in return. "As do I, Marta…as do I."

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Seasons

By

1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 10:

Hank was sitting on one of the team benches perusing a clipboard when Don and the others finally made it to the ball field.

He glanced up and scratched his chin as he looked them over; his eyes glistening mischievously. "Don't take this personal now but judging by how long it took you to get over here I'm sort of getting the feeling that you're not going to be much of a challenge for my team."

"Oooh," Don replied teasingly. "Those sound like fighting words to me, sheriff."

"Naw," Hank denied, grinning from ear to ear. "I just thought I'd give you a chance to forfeit the game and save yourselves a lot of pain and anguish."

"Pain and anguish, huh?" Don retorted, raising his chin defiantly. "Funny you should say that because it just so happens that I observed your little trek over here and I gotta tell you, pal that you were moving pretty slow yourself. " Hank started to reply but Don wasn't finished yet. "Then if you factor in the way Kenny has been moving this morning I'm thinking that we may be pretty evenly matched."

Slightly embarrassed, Fisher's smile slipped to a lopsided grin. "You noticed all that, huh?"

"Yep," Don smugly replied; sitting down next to him on the bench. "So, how does this work?"

Hank fished another clipboard from a large sports bag lying at his feet and passed it to the agent. "Here you go, Captain. You need to assign your players their positions and work out your batting order."

Don slid his sunglasses down and peered at the sheriff. "I'm short three players."

"Well, in a few minutes the DJ will make an announcement about the game and hopefully we'll get some people to sign up. I'm short a few players too; three of my team regulars work for the fire department and are on duty today."

"Sheriff might I inquire if you have a score keeper for today's game?" Larry asked, leaning forward with a hopeful look in his eyes.

Charlie's head whipped around in surprise. "Oh, no you…."

"Oh, but I am. " Larry said, interrupting his young friend. "I will be more useful keeping the score than I could possibly be out there on that field."

"Sorry, Professor, but our announcers usually double up as the scoreboard operators." He paused for a second as a thought occurred to him. "Normally we have two sportscasters in the booth but we were only able to find one for this game so how would you like to be our second announcer?" Hank replied before Charlie could lodge any further protests. "You do understand the game-right?" He added worriedly as an afterthought hit him.

"Oh, yes, yes, of course," Larry replied earnestly; his arms flying in all directions as he attempted to assure the sheriff of his knowledge of the game. "I have studied the physics of the baseball-bat collision and the flight of the baseball in great depth as well as doing an analysis of the physical properties of the curve ball and…"

"Ah...ok, I guess." The sheriff interrupted him with a confused glance at Don who simply shrugged and looked away. Was the agent trying to hide a grin? He hesitated a moment, noting the raised brow looks between the brothers, but in the end gave Fleinhardt the nod; Hank had already told him that he could do it anyway so he really couldn't back down now but judging from the Eppes's reaction he had a strange feeling that it was going to be a very interesting game. He cleared his throat then scribbled Larry's name on the paper. "That...ah...takes care of the sportscaster's booth."

"Now I need four players." Don grumbled as he read through the paperwork that Hank had given him. Robin, Charlie, Amita and Larry decided that sitting rather than standing might help ease their aches and pains so they sat down on the bench while Don and Hank worked out the details of the game.

"By the way, that was a brilliant maneuver, Professor Fleinhardt." Charlie commented dryly, shifting around on the bench to get more comfortable.

Larry grinned at him. "Now Charles, do I detect a note of disapproval in your voice?"

"Not at all," Charlie replied, shrugging nonchalantly." While I will admit that given my current physical condition it would certainly be more advantageous for me to be able to sit down instead of playing the game you will note that I didn't try to shirk my responsibility and get out of it."

"Well, be that as it may, I am not going to change my mind. Besides I think you're just a little miffed because I thought of it first."

Robin chuckled and nudged Amita. "Sounds like a clear cut case of envy to me."

Amita laughed then nodded her head in agreement; sliding an arm around her husband's waist she said teasingly. "Looks like you're going to have to suffer along with the rest of us."

"Don't even think about it, Chuck," Don mumbled without looking up. "There's no way that you are going to get out of playing today."

"The thought never even crossed my mind," Charlie said, ignoring the look of disbelief on Larry's face. "I'm ready to play ball and don't call me Chuck."

Suddenly David Miller's voiced boomed loudly and they all looked toward his table; listening for his announcement.

"May I have your attention please? The softball game will begin at 1:30 but both teams still need a few more players so anyone that wants to play should make their way to the field at this time. Hank Fisher will captain the Blue team and Don Eppes will be the captain of the Red team. Tee shirts and caps for the team members will be provided by the Castle Rock Athletic Co."

He held up one of the shirts to show a group of people who had stopped by his table then described how it looked. "On the left breast of each shirt there is a picture of the granite monolith with the words _Castle Rock _written under it. The back of the shirt says _1__st__ Annual Thomas Hill Fair_ and beneath that the words Blue Team or Red Team is written depending on the color shirt that you choose. The shirts sell for only $4.00 each and the Castle Rock Athletic Co is donating $2.00 from each shirt sold to the local Big Brother's Organization. "David pointed to the athletic co table. "They have plenty of shirts available in all sizes ranging from infant to XXX and it's the perfect way for you to show your support for the team of your choice and at the same time help support the Big Brothers".

David put down the shirt then flipped a few switches on his equipment. Seconds later as the first musical notes of a song began to play he exclaimed. "Here's a song that will put us all in the right mood to play ball; John Fogerty's "Centerfield."

In groups of twos and threes people began to leisurely stroll toward the ball field; a few of them dancing and singing right along with the chorus.

_Oh, put me in, Coach – I'm ready to play today;_

_Put me in, Coach-I'm ready to play today;_

_Look at me, I can be Centerfield._

"Looks like a lively bunch," Hank commented; his eyes drifting over the crowd heading their way.

Don followed his gaze; they looked promising, he certainly hoped so or they didn't have a chance of winning this game.

"Hey Don."

Six heads swiveled around as Neil Harper and another man strolled through the gates of the field; the younger man was wearing a baseball glove and tossing a ball into the air as he walked while the ranger carried a large sports bag.

"Glad to see you, Neil. I was afraid that you had changed your mind." Don commented rising to his feet as the men came to a halt beside of the bench.

"No way am I going to miss a chance to kick Hank's butt." He smirked, gracing the sheriff with a toothy grin.

"We'll just see about that," Hank retorted good-naturedly, also rising to his feet. He winked at the young man and teased the ranger. "You wouldn't be trying to bring in a _ringer_-would you Hank?"

"Don, this is your lucky day." Neil announced, ignoring Hank.

"How so?" The agent asked, pulling off his sunglasses and tucking them into the breast pocket of his shirt.

"Because this young man," he said, clapping the boy on the shoulder, "is an excellent pitcher. Meet my son Jeremy; he's on the baseball team at Washington State."

"I like the sound of that." Don chortled. "Welcome to the team Jeremy. How about you, Neil? Yesterday you said that you'd played baseball before-what position did you play?"

This time Jeremy slapped his Dad on the back and said proudly. "Dad is an awesome Catcher."

"I even dusted off all of my old equipment last night." The ranger said, hefting his bag to prove it.

"I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this game," Hank grumbled under his breath,

"You're right, Neil," Don said, chuckling at Hanks comment. "You have made my day." He gestured toward Charlie and the others. "Go ahead and have a seat while I put the rest of our team together." As far as Don was concerned, having those two positions filled by people who actually knew how to play the game put them on an even keel with Hank's team. He still needed three more players but as he glanced at the growing line of people signing up to play he didn't think that was going to be a problem.

A half an hour later both captains had full teams for the upcoming game. Shortly after that the players split up to have lunch with their families but the agent's team was supposed to meet up with him by 12:45. Hanks' team was scheduled to have the field for practice from 12:30 to 1:00 then Don's team would have it from 1:00 to 1:30. After that the game would begin.

Adorned in red tee shirts and baseball caps, Don's team took over the field at one o'clock as planned. An occasional _ouch_ or _ow _could be heard as he put them through a few stretches then moved them around on the field to determine their positions. Don didn't have a whole lot time to decide on each player's position so after ten minutes he had to make a decision so that they could get in a few minutes of practice before the game. At 1:25 they returned to their bench to prepare for the game. As Don called out each player's position, Alan would peel off a large white number and stick it to the back of the player's shirt.

"Our pitcher is Jeremy Neil," Don said. "Put the #1 on his shirt, Dad."

Jeremy turned around so that Alan could stick the number to the back of his shirt then stepped aside as each team member received their numbers. When they were finished Don gave Alan a separate form listing each member's positions and batting order to take to the sportscaster's booth; time was growing short so Alan scurried off to deliver the form. He was out of breath by the time he reached the top step to the booth and had to take a few minutes to catch his breath before opening the door to deliver the roster.

"Ah, that's exactly what I've been waiting for." One of the announcers sitting in front of the microphone exclaimed. He was a large man in his late sixties with a broad face and short, thinning red hair.

Alan handed him the paper then did a double take when he caught sight of the second sportscaster.

"Larry, what are you doing up here?"

"Today I get to participate in a new experience," the cosmologist eagerly replied. "I'm going to assume the duties of a Sports announcer."

Alan's brows pulled together in puzzlement while he frantically searched his memory for an occasion where Larry's name and baseball had been used in the same sentence-and came up with nothing. He opened his mouth to find out how his friend intended to announce a game that he had shown no prior interest in but changed his mind and simply said. "Ah…that's good Larry."

Larry gestured at the man sitting next to him. "Alan this is Roger Bradley, a professional sports announcer."

"Retired," Roger corrected Larry as he stretched out his hand to shake Alan's.

"Roger this is Alan Eppes, father of Don and Charles Eppes."

"Nice to meet you," Alan said, shaking the man's hand. "It's easy to tell which teams you two are rooting for." He added with a chuckle, noting Larry's red shirt and Roger's blue one.

"You, as well." Larry observed.

"I had no choice," Alan chuckled. "I was afraid that I would have to walk home if wore a blue one."

"I've always said that you are a wise man, Alan.""

"I must say that I am a little surprised with the number of fans for the Red team," Roger noted with a nod toward the bleachers. "Usually the local teams will have most of the fans but it looks pretty equal out there."

A glance at the bleachers proved his point; the number of people wearing the red tee shirts seemed to equal the number of people wearing the blue ones.

"How about that?" Alan remarked, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth. "That's pretty good, huh?"

Roger nodded. "Should make for a pretty exciting game."

"Guess I better get back down there." Alan said, turning to leave.

"What job does Don have you doing?" Larry called out before Alan stepped through the doorway.

Alan turned sideways then glanced back rolling his eyes. "Water boy –what else?" Then he was out the door and on his way back to join the red team.

The two men chuckled then Roger looked over Don's roster. "Larry can you give me some personal information about each player-the fans enjoy the game more when they have a little history of the team."

"Of course," the professor replied, glancing at the paper. "But I can only tell you about these four players." He added, pointing to the names of Don, Charlie, Amita and Robin.

"That's okay. I recognize the others-their all locals".

Bradley scribbled notes beside of each player and had just finished writing when a member of Hank's team appeared in the doorway.

"We're all set, Roger. Hank says to go ahead and start the introductions." He turned to leave, calling over his shoulder as he bounded down the stairs. "Red team lost the toss so Blue team bats first."

"Lost the toss?"

"The teams toss a coin to see who will bat first." Roger answered as he adjusted his microphone."Time to get this game started." Without another word he clicked the ON button and went to work.

"Welcome to Castle Rock Field." The announcer's voice boomed loudly over the speakers bringing a hush to the crowd. "Mother Nature has certainly provided us with perfect weather for this charity game between the Red and Blue Teams so let's soak up some sun and enjoy the game. Please keep in mind that these are not professional teams so at the end of the game, whether your team wins or loses, please give them all a big round of applause." He paused to take a sip of water.

"First, the Blue Team." Roger glanced briefly at the sheriff's roster, then at the team to see if they were ready to run onto the field when he announced their names. "#16 Shortstop and Captain of the team- Sheriff Hank Fisher." Bradley paused as yells and cheers erupted from the Blue Team fans when Hank came running out onto the field. "#19 Pitcher-Deputy Kenny Baxter." Cheers and chants followed each team member as they ran out then the fans gave a final loud roar when all of the team members were standing in a line on the field.

"The Red Team." Bradley announced, checking Don's roster. "#4 Second baseman and Captain of the team-Don Eppes." Cheers erupted from the Red Team fans when Don came running out and followed every player as they appeared on the field. "#1 Pitcher-Jeremy Harper, #8 Centerfielder-Barry Travers, #2 Catcher-Neil Harper, #5 Third baseman-Charlie Eppes, #6 Shortstop-Robin Brooks, #7 Left Fielder-Jason Mackenzie, #9 Right Fielder-Amita Eppes and #3 First baseman-Mark Grayson."

After the last roar of cheers had subsided Bradley introduced the umpire. "Jake Evers, a professional umpire and resident of Castle Rock has graciously volunteered to umpire this game for us. Let's give him a big hand of thanks." When the round of applause faded everyone stood while the national anthem played. After that Don's team took their places on the field and Hank's first batter stepped up to the plate.

Roger switched off his microphone and turned to Larry. "Would you like to start the game, Professor?"

Larry's eyes lit up excitedly. "What...what do I say?"

Roger beamed. "There's only one thing to say. Just turn on your mike and yell _Play Ball _as loud as you can."

Larry was surprised at how excited he felt; swallowing hard he turned on his microphone then took a deep breath and yelled: **PLAY BALL!**

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spioiler: Identity Crisis

Chapter 11:

Life was all around him. From the blades of grass beneath his feet to the blue skies above him life was present in so many ways. The park was filled with sounds and he hungrily listened to each one; laughter, dogs barking, music, teasing banter between friends and even the simple art of speaking that so many people took for granted. Vibrant colors and fragrant smells assaulted his senses and he longed to be a part of it once again-but could not; that path was no longer open to him.

As if on cue the shimmering light appeared before him bringing with it an overall sense of peace and tranquility, luring him to step into the light with an unspoken promise of ending his lonely existence. Tom took a step forward then another and almost walked through the alluring light but at the last second stepped aside and the shimmering light vanished from his sight. He clinched his fists in frustration; he couldn't leave yet, not until he was sure that Charlie and Don were going to be okay.

"Why didn't you cross over?"

Tom turned suddenly, surprised by the woman's voice. She was young, early twenties maybe, with light brown hair that fell to her shoulders. Kind hazel eyes framed by a pretty face gazed at him in curiosity while she waited for his answer.

"You can see me?"Tom asked excitedly. "You saw the light too?" At her nod he tilted his head to the side; eyes searching her face cautiously. Suddenly he straightened up as recognition flared in his eyes and he said with certainty. "You're with him."

"Yes. My name is Marta and he is my father."

Tom nodded thoughtfully then frowned, his brow furrowing. "Doesn't it frighten you to see dead people?"

"No," she answered calmly; her eyes softening even more as she spoke. "I have seen them all my life; they are just lost souls, like you, trying to find their way home, and like Papa I am glad that I can help them." She inclined her head. "You didn't answer my question."

"I'm not ready yet." Tom growled darkly, no longer enjoying the conversation. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and glanced away.

"Papa is worried….worried that your plan will hurt the Eppes brother's more than help them." She whispered hesitantly.

Tom's head snapped back; eyes hardening as he hissed. "He's not going to back out is he?"

"No…no." Marta stammered out, taking a step back in surprise from the sudden change in the spirit's demeanor.

"I'm sorry," Tom apologized immediately seeing that his actions had frightened her; his eyes softened. "I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just that I know my friends, especially Charlie, and this is the only way that I will be able to convince them that I am really here."

"_**..And the Red Team is retired with two hits and no runs as we go to the top of the fourth inning."**_

They both turned in the direction of the ball field as the sportscaster's voice floated across the park.

"You're missing the game." He pointed out with a nod at her red tee shirt.

"So are you."

Tom's eyes darted downward; it was amazing how he could change the color of his clothes with just a thought. He met her eyes and smiled. "Want to walk back together?"

Marta nodded and fell into step with the ghost. Tom had been a nice man in life she decided and wished that she could have known him before he had been murdered.

"Enjoy the game." He said quietly as they parted at the stands.

She watched as Tom followed Charlie out on the field and stood by his side at first base. Her eyes drifted over the crowd, she found it amazing that only one other person could see Tom standing there besides herself. A chorus of _Take Me out to the Ball Game_ suddenly blared forth from the loudspeakers bringing Marta out of her reverie. She spared Tom one more glance then threaded her way through the crowd to join her parents.

_Take me out to the ball game,  
>Take me out with the crowd;<br>Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,  
>I don't care if I never get back.<br>Let me root, root, root for the home team,  
>If they don't win, it's a shame.<br>For its one, two, three strikes, you're out,  
>At the old ball game.<em>

The score was zero to zero as the Blue team came up to bat in the top of the fourth inning. Hank was first at bat; the first ball was a strike then he hit a long drive to left field and managed to make it to second base. Frank Bailey, their centerfielder was up next and hit into a pop fly, getting their first out of the inning. Next at bat was Sylvia Mendez, left fielder and the girl's softball coach at the local high school. She surprised everyone with a bunt on her second ball and made it to first base while Hank advanced to third. The next batter, Al Miller, struck out without the runners advancing then Peter Winthrop, their second baseman, connected with the ball and hit a home run. Hank and Sylvia both scored and the blue team fans cheered wildly as Pete loped around the bases. Doug Faraday, right fielder stepped up to the plate, hit a pop fly which Don easily caught giving them their third out of the inning.

The Red Teams left fielder, Jason Mackenzie was first at bat in the bottom half of the fourth but after two foul balls struck out. Robin was up next; she swung and missed her first ball but caught a piece of the second one sending it flying toward second base. Hank easily fielded the ball then tossed it to the first baseman who tagged Robin out before she could get to the base. Charlie was up next; a strike was called on his first ball then the pitcher hit him with the second one so he advanced to first base on a walk. Don was next to bat and on the first pitch he hit a long drive to the right field; Charlie advanced to 2nd base and he took over first. Barry Travers was up next but he struck out, ending the inning.

"**And we go the Fifth Inning with the score: Blue team – 3, Red team - 0**." Bradley announced as the teams exchanged places. He glanced sideways at Larry but the cosmologist seemed content to just watch the game. Occasionally the professor would comment on a particular play but preferred to leave the play by play announcements to Roger.

The fifth, sixth and seventh innings were unremarkable without either team scoring then in the bottom of the eighth the Red team's Mark Grayson hit a double and advanced to second base. Amita was up next; her first ball was a strike but she hit an infield fly on her 2nd ball. It should have been an easy out for the first baseman but he fumbled the ball and by the time he recovered she was safely on first while Grayson advanced to third. Barry Travers, centerfielder was up next and hit a sacrifice fly giving them their first out and also their first run as Grayson crossed home plate while Amita made it safely to second. Next at bat was Neil Harper. The burly catcher grounded out to second and was tagged out but not before Amita made it to third. Jeremy, their pitcher was up next and since hitting wasn't his best position Don whispered a few words of advice to him before he stepped into the batter's box. He earned strikes on his first two balls then surprised the Blue team with a sacrifice bunt.

Kenny ran forward, grabbed the ball and threw it to home plate just as Amita tagged the base."Safe!" the referee called out as the "red" fans yelled wildly. She began to jump up and down with excitement and when the rest of the team came out to congratulate her she ran into Charlie's arms with so much force that she nearly knocked him over. The catcher had immediately thrown the ball to the first baseman who tagged Jeremy just in the nick of time. The inning was over but the pitcher's sacrifice bunt had given the Red team a second run.

"**It's a pretty close game folks and as we move into the ninth inning the score is Blue Team – 3, Red Team -2. **

Don's team took the field and while everyone was getting into position the agent approached the pitching mound. "You've got a really good pitching arm, Jeremy. Are you considering trying out for the majors?"

"Thinking about it." The young man replied as he limbered up his pitching arm."

"You keep pitching the way you have been and you'll get there." Don said, glancing sideways at the batter's box. Good, the batter wasn't there yet. "Listen, Jeremy do you have any pitches that you haven't used yet?"

"Actually," Jeremy replied with a sly grin. "I have a slider that I've been working on."

Don's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A slider? You've got a slider?" Suddenly he grinned broadly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Go for it, kid." Still chuckling to himself Don moved back to his position beside of second base just as the sportscaster announced the first batter.

"**Batting first, #19 right fielder, Doug Faraday. Doug has grounded out and hit a pop fly so far today."**

Jeremy stepped into his wind up then released his fast ball.

Dough gripped the bat ….and

"**A swing and a miss. Strike one." **Bradley intoned.

Another pitch…and

"**Strike two."**

A third pitch and…

"**Strike three. Doug is out."**

The Blue team's second batter approached the plate to the wild cheers of the fans.

"**First baseman, Jill Hathaway. "**

Jeremy limbered up his arm, took a deep breath and threw his fast ball once, twice and a third time and Jill went down swinging.

"**And that's two outs for the Blue Team." **

Once again the red fans gave a loud roar.

"**#16, shortstop, Hank Fisher. Hank has scored one of the runs today and hit a long drive to the outfield. Let's see if he can do it again."**

The Blue team's fans gave Hank a rousing cheer and he walked to the plate followed by chants of Go Sheriff Fisher, go Sheriff Fisher!"

Jeremy took a deep breath and stepped on the mound then in one fluid motion he threw the ball so that it would hook sharply outside of the strike zone. If he threw it right Hank would chase the ball and miss it.

Up at the home plate Hank stood poised and ready to hit the ball. The ball was coming right at him and it was just where he liked it too. He gripped the bat tightly and swung it with all of his might and just as he thought he had the ball dead center it dipped out of reach.

"**What a pitch! Strike one!"**

"What the hell was that?" Hank exclaimed in disbelief twisting around to catch the catcher's eye. "Was that a slider?"

"That my friend was Jeremy's secret weapon." Neil chortled as he threw the ball back to his son then squatted down behind home plate to get ready for the next ball.

Jeremy caught the ball and glanced sideways at Don who grinned and gave him thumbs up. He stepped on the mound and threw the ball with all of his might.

"**A swing and a miss! Strike two!"**

A gasp erupted from the fans and then complete silence as a determined Hank stepped up for his last time at bat; it was now or never- he had to hit the ball this time. The sheriff knew what to expect now so he grimly prepared himself for the next slider.

Jeremy took a deep breath and stepped into his pitch; narrowing his eyes he released the ball and followed its flight to the plate.

Hank swung the bat; too late he realized that the ball wasn't going to drop but continued straight over the strike zone.

"**Strike three, you're out!" **Bradley exclaimed.** "Now that's the kind of pitching that you see in the majors."**

Jeremy's team mates ran over and patted him on the back as they switched places with the Blue team.

"**The pressure is really on the batters now. " **The Sportscaster announced while the teams got into position.

"**Ah…excuse me Roger but did you know that if a batter swings 1/100****th**** of a second too soon his ball will go foul down the left field side?"**

"**I didn't know that, Larry."**

"**And if the batter hits 1/1ooth of a second too late it will go foul in the right field seats?"**

"**That is quite interesting and I suppose this is all due to Physics."**

"**Yes, yes of course it is." **Larry exclaimed excitedly.** "Here's one more tidbit for you-the batter's decision to swing has to happen within 4/100****th**** of a second."**

"**I'm glad that I'm not down on that field." **Roger said, whistling softly through his teethbefore getting back to the game.** "This will be the last chance the Red Team will have to score. They have to get one run to tie the game and two to win it. The question is can they do it?"**

Don walked in front of the bench, waving his hands in an effort to calm his team down. It wasn't easy; Jeremy's strike outs had infused them all with excitement.

"Focus, people, focus." He ordered, raising his voice to be heard over the excited fans. "Jeremy did his job now we have to do ours."

The pressure was getting to them though and their excitement began to fade as the first two batters struck out.

"**Two outs and one to go. This could be the game, folks. A strike out here will give the game to the Blue Team. Now batting for the Red Team: #7 Left Fielder-Jason Mackenzie. Jason struck out his last time at bat."**

As the third batter approached the home plate Don absently popped a piece of gum in his mouth; his thoughts on the game. "This could be it, one more out and we're finished." He started to put the gum away when suddenly three hands, palms upward, were thrust under his nose. His eyebrows shot up in surprise as he glanced at the faces belonging to those hands then silently deferred to Robin's, Charlie's, and Amita's silent request by deftly placing a piece of gum into each palm.

Alan moved up behind the three and thrust out his hand. "Hey, I want one too."

Don looked up and grinned then crumpled the now empty pack and tossed it into the trash. "Sorry, pal, but I'm all out."

"Figures," Alan grumbled good-naturedly then nodded toward Jeremy. "The kid's got some arm, huh?"

Don's eye flickered toward the bench where Neil was excitedly talking to his son. "I'll say. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the majors one day."

"**Strike One."**

Don groaned at the announcement and turned his attention back to the game.

"Well, good lucks guys." Alan said, wincing at the call as he moved to get out of the way. He had planned to sit on the bench and watch the rest of the game but he was too nervous so he ended up standing with the rest of the players as Mackenzie connected with the ball and sent a line drive out to centerfield.

Bradley's voice could barely be heard over the cheers. **"Mackenzie hits a single and the tying run is on the field." **

It was Robin's turn next and she was more than a little nervous as she picked up her bat. "I don't get it," she muttered to Don. "I can face a a cold blooded killer in court without flinching a muscle but I'm breaking out in a sweat over the chance that I might miss that damn little ball."

"Remember, it's just a game." The agent replied encouragingly, kissing her on the lips then he shoved her gently toward the batter's box and swatted her lightly on the rear end. "Now get out there and hit that ball."

Robin arched her brow at him then giggled as she picked up her bat. She took a deep breath and got into position; she could do this-all she had to do was watch for the right pitch.

"**Batting fourth is Robin Brooks. She bunted for a base hit her first time up and struck out the second time."**

"**Strike One." **Bradley announced as she swung at an outside pitch and missed. Robin gripped the bat firmly and swung again.

"**Strike Two." **

Robin took a deep breath and as the ball approached she swung with all her might and got a piece of the ball. She didn't wait to see where it went but took off at a run and made it safely to first base.

"**Brooks hits a pop up fly to right field. This should have been an easy out but Faraday drops the ball and she's safely on base by the time the ball is back in play. Mackenzie advances to second and the Red Team comes alive in the bottom of the ninth. **

The fans were really getting into the game now and a roar of cheers followed his announcement.

"**The next batter is #3, first baseman, Charlie Eppes. He walked his first time at bat."**

Charlie swallowed nervously and picked up his bat but before he stepped out onto the field Amita gave him a fierce hug and a kiss for good luck."You can do it, Charlie."

Alan patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck, Charlie."

Don hooked an arm around his neck and spoke softly in his ear before he approached the batter's box then with a quick nod of understanding he got into position. Speed and wind variables played through his mind as he tried to focus on the first pitch and as Kenny released the ball he tried to time his swing with the arrival of the ball but missed.

"**Strike one."**

He put the sudden roar of groans from his mind and tried to concentrate as chants of Charlie, Charlie, Charlie rose from the stands. This time as the ball approached he moved his hands up the barrel of the bat and squared off to bunt. The ball bounced off the bat and rolled midway between home plate and the pitcher's mound. Charlie dropped the bat and raced to first base. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the pitcher pick up the ball and throw it to the first baseman. With a renewed burst of speed he breathlessly launched himself forward and slid headfirst toward the base, his fingers tagging the base just as the first baseman's foot left the bag while he caught the ball.

"**He's safe! Charlie Eppes is safe at first!" **Bradley exclaimed excitedly**."Ladies and gentlemen this is baseball at its best."**

The mathematician lay there afraid to move until he heard the sportscaster's announcement, then and only then did he allow himself to believe that he was safe. A smile spread across his face as Charlie rose unsteadily to his feet amid the roars and cheers of the red team fans. He bent down to retrieve his cap and as he placed it on his head his grin broadened at the sight of Amita and his Dad cheering and jumping up and down with excitement.

"**Two outs and the bases are loaded as the final hitter moves to the batting box. This is a nightmare scenario for the Blue team's pitcher because the next man up is Don Eppes, former pro second baseman for the Stockton Rangers and the power hitter for the Red Team. Kenny can't walk the man without sending in the tying run so he has no choice but to pitch to him and hope that he can strike him out."**

"Hit the ball, Don! Hit the ball!" The chanting began again as soon as the agent approached the batting box and his heart caught in his throat- he really missed this game.

Kenny wiped the sweat from his brow and muttered under his breath. "Man, why did it have to be Don's turn to bat?" He gripped the ball tightly, went through his wind up pitch then released it. Praying that he had thrown it right he couldn't take his eyes off of it as it ripped through the air.

Don could feel the sweat running down his back as bat in hand he prepared to swing."No pressure," he thought sarcastically. "I just have to hit it hard enough for two of us to score, that's all."

"**A swing and a miss. Strike One."** Bradley called out.

Don cursed himself; he knew better than to go after a low outside pitch. He clenched his jaw, vowing not to make the same mistake again as he readied the bat for another swing. He got a piece of the next ball but it foul tipped right into the catcher's glove.

"**Strike Two."**

Don wiped the sweat from his upper lip then planted his back foot firmly in place while Kenny got into his position to throw the ball. He shifted his weight backwards, twisting his hips slightly as he positioned the bat for his swing. Kenny threw the ball and Don took a small step forward to increase his hitting power as the ball approached him. He gripped the bat tightly; adrenaline coursing through his veins, eyes locked on the approaching ball. "Wait for it-wait for it," Don whispered then he stepped into his swing.

**CRACK!**

A hush fell over the crowd as everyone in the stands rose suddenly to their feet; all eyes locked on the ball as it soared across the field.

_TBC_

_Take Me Out to the Ball Game-Jack Norworth, Albert Von Tilzer-1908_


	12. Chapter 12

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoiler: "Identity Crisis" Bones of Contention" "Hardball"

A/N: Thank you for your reviews

Chapter 12:

_**Previously in "Seasons"**_

"_**A swing and a miss. Strike One."**__ Bradley called out. _

_Don cursed himself; he knew better than to go after a low outside pitch. He clenched his jaw, vowing not to make the same mistake again as he readied the bat for another swing. He got a piece of the next ball but it foul tipped right into the catcher's glove._

"_**Strike Two. Bottom of the ninth, two outs with the bases loaded."**_

_Don wiped the sweat from his upper lip then planted his back foot firmly in place while Kenny got into his position to throw the ball. He shifted his weight backwards, twisting his hips slightly as he positioned the bat for his swing._

"_**Here's the pitch by Baxter."**_

_Kenny threw the ball and Don took a small step forward to increase his hitting power as the ball approached him. He gripped the bat tightly; adrenaline coursing through his veins, eyes locked on the approaching ball. "Wait for it-wait for it," Don whispered then he stepped into his swing._

_**CRACK!**_

_A hush fell over the crowd as everyone in the stands rose suddenly to their feet; all eyes locked on the ball as it soared across the field._

"**That's a long drive into left centerfield, that ball is gonna be…. OUTA HERE, IT'S GONE! A GRAND SLAM HOMERUN FOR DON EPPES!" Bradley was so excited that he was shouting into the mike. "THE CROWD IS UP AND I MEAN EVERYONE, BLUE TEAM, RED TEAM IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE. EVERYONE'S ON THEIR FEET AND CHEERING FOR DON EPPES".**

"**Mackenzie scores, Brooks scores, Charles Eppes is rounding first base to score and behind him his brother is taking a well-deserved victory lap around the bases. Final Score: Red team -6, Blue Team- 3. Ladies and Gentleman that was a rare sight indeed and I sincerely hope that someone in the audience recorded that hit; I'd love to see that in an instant replay."**

"**OH MY!" **Larry exclaimed, forgetting that his mike was on; his voice raising an octave with his excitement.** "Just eyeballing it I'd estimate that the ball traveled roughly 121.82 meters."**

"**Ah…hmm...what was that, Larry?"**

"**Possibly 400 ft more or less." **The professor absently scratched his head and gazed at theball's landing position**. "Of course there are so many variables to consider like the ball's height above the field and the horizontal distance that the ball traveled, the angle of impact, the height that the bat struck the ball …."**

Roger switched off his mike momentarily then reached over to tap the cosmologist on the arm. "What'd you say we just go with the estimate?"

Slightly embarrassed, Larry shrugged and released the mike. "Oh….yes…of course." He rose to his feet, eyes lit up with excitement. "Ah, Don's a good friend of mine so if you don't mind I'm just going to run down and congratulate him."

"I understand completely, Professor. It was nice working with you." Roger replied quickly as Larry gave him a hasty nod then closed the door behind him. The announcer chuckled then switched on his mike once again.

"**That's as good as you see in the Majors, folks. It just doesn't get any better than that! "**

…**.**

Don didn't need to watch the ball or hear the deafening roar of the crowd behind him, he'd known the instant that the ball had connected with his bat that he had hit a homerun; there had been very little vibration in the bat at contact which meant that he'd hit the ball right on the "sweet spot" of the bat and as every batter knows a ball that hits that spot will go a further distance than one hitting any other part of the bat.

It was an exhilarating feeling; a heady and intoxicating sensation that he wanted to savor and never end but glory was a fleeting thing which he well knew so he began a slow jog around the bases; there was no need to run now, with his hit they had won the game. It was as if he was back with the Stockton Rangers once again, only this time it was even better because everyone that he cared about was here to share it with him.

They were all there, standing near the home plate; Alan's beaming face towered above the others, pride and joy for his eldest son reflected in his every movement. Charlie stood beside of him his baseball cap sitting perilously on top of his curls; his brown expressive eyes shining brightly with love and pride for his older brother's triumph. Robin was there cheering him on and giving him a look that spoke of a more intimate celebration to come that set his heart on fire. Amita and Larry were there too jumping up and down with excitement and waving him home. His heart swelled with joy and he realized that his overwhelming emotion wasn't just from hitting the homerun but from the love he shared with those people waiting for him.

Robin was in his arms as soon as his foot left the home plate; he lifted her off the ground, swung her around then they shared a passionate kiss.

"I never realized how exciting baseball could be." She whispered teasingly in his ear.

"Exciting, huh?" Don whispered back with a wink of his eye. "Just wait until later."

"Be still my heart," Robin replied playfully as they parted.

"I knew it was going to be a homerun," Alan bellowed loudly to be heard over the deafening roar of the crowd; enveloping Don in a big hug as soon he and Robin separated. "Congratulations, son."

Don grinned broadly, "Thanks, Dad,

"Awesome hit, bro," Charlie quipped, grinning from ear to ear. He gave Don a hi-five but was surprised when his brother pulled him into a fierce hug as well. As he returned the hug he recalled once saying that they were not a "hugging kind of family" but the Eppes men had all experienced emotional changes in the past few years and he not only welcomed the new closeness that they all shared but cherished it with all of his heart.

"That was a pretty awesome slide you made there, kid." Don said, returning the compliment.

"Thanks," Charlie said shrugging self-consciously; his hat finally giving up its struggle to stay on his head and tumbling to the ground.

"That was an amazing hit, Don," Amita said stepping between the brothers to give him a hug then quickly picked up Charlie's hat before it was stepped on.

Larry was next with a congratulatory handshake then Neil, Hank and the members of both teams surged forward to surround him and he found himself bombarded by their jubilant and buoyant cheers then suddenly they lifted him up and set him on their shoulders then paraded him around the field to the cheers of everyone there.

Finally the excitement was over and the crowd began to disperse either wandering back to their picnic tables or to check out the various stands and tables.

The players gathered up the equipment and piled it all in one area then went their separate ways.

Alan glanced at his watch then rushed over to the cosmologist. "Larry, come on we have to get going it's almost time to judge the pies."

"And I must say that it's perfect timing too." Larry replied, a hungry light appearing in his eyes. "A snack would be most welcome right now."

"We'll catch up with you later." Alan called over his shoulder as he and Larry eagerly hurried off for the contest.

"Man," Charlie complained rubbing his shoulder. "My aches have aches." He limped over to one of the benches then slowly sat down; groaning slightly as he attempted to massage the back of his neck.

"That's a vast understatement, bro," Don murmured as he, Amita and Robin joined him on the bench.

"Ooh," Amita groaned. "I may never get up from here."

Robin leaned around Don to catch her eye. "I know what you mean. Out there on the field I totally forgot about my aching muscles but now they hurt even worse."

"The adrenaline rush of the game boosted your energy level while you were on the field. " Don told her wincing as he put an arm around her. "But now that's it's over you're going to feel twice as tired as you were."

"Then I'm with Amita," she moaned dropping her head against his chest. "I may never get up either."

"Maybe we could just rest here for a little while," Charlie mumbled wrapping an arm around Amita then he closed his eyes and rested his head against hers.

"It would be more comfortable in the car." Don suggested; his eyelids half open.

Charlie, Amita and Robin all opened their eyes and looked at him then turned and gazed longingly toward the parking lot.

"That's actually a pretty good idea," Charlie conceded tiredly. "We could take a short nap and then rejoin Dad and Larry."

"It's agreed then?" Don asked his eyes drifting from face to face. They all nodded but nobody made any efforts to move. He sighed heavily. "Okay. On three then? One…two…three."

Slowly and painfully the four of them began to rise then one by one they shuffled forward. Sore arms and tired leg muscles made their movements appear stiff as they threaded their way through the crowds. On more than one occasion they had to sidestep teenagers dancing to the lively tune of LMFAO'S Party Rock Anthem.

"Every time I hear this song I have visions of large hamster's dancing all around me." Don remarked, prompting tired smiles and chuckles from the other three.

"Yeah," Charlie chortled, "and robots too."

The foursome had almost made it to the parking lot when they heard a sound that made them all wince, especially Amita and Robin.

"There you are ladies." Faye exclaimed, almost shouting to be heard over the loud music. "I've been looking all over the park for you." She rushed forward and hooked one arm around Amita's left arm and the other around Robin's right one. "We still have lots of work to do. Come along now."

Both women turned pleading looks to Don and Charlie who stood in shocked silence as their women were pulled into the crowd and disappeared from view.

Still staring at the last place he saw Amita, Charlie shrugged uncomfortably and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Ah…I …ah…suppose we should have done something, huh?"

"What could we have done?" Don asked, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

Charlie shook his head, his curls swinging from side to side. "Nothing. It was sort of out of our hands."

"Right," Don affirmed, trying to dispel his feelings of guilt. "Now what?"

Two pair of brown eyes met then darted toward the parking lot.

"The girls would want us to continue on even if they couldn't join us, right?" Charlie asked his eyes focused on Don's SUV.

"Yeah, sure they would. " Don agreed but his voice held more doubt than conviction.

The brothers had only taken a few steps forward when suddenly their path was blocked by Neil and Hank.

"Hey, Don," Hank exclaimed excitedly. "Listen, Neil and I have a bet on where the ball hit your bat so we need you to show us exactly where it hit."

"Look, fellas," Don replied, trying to edge his way around them, "how about I get back to you on that."

"Now's the perfect time for it." The burly ranger argued clamping a large hand on Don's right shoulder.

"Come on, Don," Hank urged, taking him by the left arm to lead him away.

"Hold it guys." Don sputtered. "Charlie and I were just…"

Hank twisted around so he could face the mathematician. "Charlie can come too."

Charlie's eyes flitted from face to face then settled on his brother's visage. He recognized that look on Don's face, the raised eyebrows, the narrowed eyes silently warning him that if he knew what was good for him he'd better come along with them. It was one that he remembered well from his childhood days, it was the look that his brother would always use to make him do whatever Don wanted him to do.

But it wasn't going to work this time, he waved a hand dismissively and took a step back; his eyes lighting up mischievously. "No, no you go ahead. There's something else that I need to do."

Don's eyes widened with surprise but before he could protest the two men began to bombard him with questions as they lead the reluctant agent away. "No…wait…Charlie..." Don called over his shoulder before he disappeared into the milling crowd.

With a slight smirk on his face Charlie began to shuffle toward the parking lot once again. "Surely Don and the girls would want at least one of us to get some rest and that might as well be me." He muttered out loud, trying to convince himself that he was doing the right thing. The mathematician heaved a sigh of relief when his Prius came into view; the thought of the reclining passenger seat was so alluring that he would've run over to it if he had been able to but since that was out of the question he had to settle for just walking faster.

Finally he stood beside of his car; he quickly fished the keys from his pocket but before he could press the button to open the door a voice called out from behind him. _"No," _he groaned inwardly, squeezing his eyes shut. _'It's not fair, it's just not fair."_

"Excuse me Dr. Eppes but I was wondering if I could have a word with you?"

Charlie opened his eyes and stared at the person's reflection in the window of his car then he took a deep breath and turned around to face the stranger.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoiler: All's Fair

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 13:

"Yes?" Charlie asked politely rubbing his forehead tiredly while he waited for her to answer. He really, really wanted to get in his car and lie down for a few minutes, just for ten or twenty minutes, that was all. Was that really too much to ask for?

"You probably don't remember me but we attended Princeton together." Noting the blank look in his eyes she hastily extended her hand. "My name is Jillian….Jillian Beal."

Charlie's eyes searched her face as he shook her hand; she was of the same height as he was with short, brown hair that framed a pretty oval face. He thought she might be around Don's age; there were fine lines on her forehead and around her eyes and mouth. She had dark blue eyes but they were slightly reddened and puffy as if she had been crying. There was something vaguely familiar about the woman but he didn't recognize her, even her name held no familiarity to it.

He shook his head lightly and gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry but I don't remember you. It's just that...well…you know…that was a long time ago."

"That's okay," she replied quietly with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I didn't really expect you to remember me. You were only a boy back then and couldn't really socialize with the rest of us." Jillian's eyes drifted to his red tee shirt prompting a smile. "By the way, congratulations are in order. That was quite a game that your team played."

"Thank you, and …ah…thanks for your support," he said with a slight nod at her red tee shirt.

"Oh, well I had to support a fellow alumni, didn't I?" She teased, trying to lighten the mood. Jillian smiled then looked away, pretending to study the people milling around the park as she tried to form her thoughts into words.

"Of course," Charlie replied, trying to play along until she revealed her reason for being there. An awkward silence fell between them and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he gazed at her. Her sad smiles never seemed to touch her eyes and although he couldn't explain it he had a strong feeling that she had suffered a great loss. Her obvious distress tugged at his heartstrings, he wanted to help her but she had yet to tell him why she had approached him. Beating around the bush had never been Charlie's forte; he favored the direct approach in solving problems so with that in mind he pressed the issue.

"Look…ah…I'm sorry for being so blunt here but what did you want to talk to me about?"

Jillian wiped a stray tear from her eye as she turned back to face him. "Tom," she said, releasing a tremulous breath. "I wanted to talk to you about Thomas Hill."

"Tom?" Charlie repeated in surprise completely caught off guard by her answer; tilting his head he stared at her curiously."What about Tom?"

"Dr. Eppes, have you ever regretted something that you did? Something that you would give anything to change…if only you could?" Jillian's voice dropped to a whisper at her last words then she looked away but when she turned back again there were more tears in her eyes.

"Please call me Charlie," the mathematician replied; realizing that her problem was of a more personal nature he shifted nervously from foot to foot. "I think…ah…that we all have regrets Jillian. That's pretty much the human condition isn't it?"

"I suppose so…but some regrets are worse than others aren't they?"

The tormented look in her eyes filled him with trepidation but he pushed on. "I'm guessing that your deep regret somehow involves Tom?" At her nod he was even more puzzled. "Tom is gone, Jillian," Charlie said gently, "and nothing is going to change that so I'm at loss as to what it is that you think I can do to help you?"

"By your own admission you were like a brother to Tom and knew him better than anyone so I …I guess I just thought that if I could explain the things I've done to you then it would be sort of like I was explaining them to him." Noting his confused and wary expression she clasped her hands to her face in exasperation then she began to speak faster, waving her arms around excitedly as she spoke. "I'm not crazy…honestly I'm not and…and I know that what I'm saying doesn't sound entirely rational to you but if you'll just hear me out then I think that you'll understand why it's important that I talk to you. "

"Please calm down." Charlie spoke softly alarmed by her agitated state; raising his open hands in an attempt to placate her. "There's no need to get so excited. I'm listening. Just say what you need to say." He glanced over her head hoping to find someone that could help if she became violent but they were the only people in the parking lot; everyone else was in the park. Charlie dropped his gaze just as Jillian blew her nose and stuffed the tissue back into her jeans pocket.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so excited." She apologized in a more rational tone of voice. "It's just that I've been thinking about this for a while now, and when I saw you here today…I...well…I just had to try."She laughed nervously. "I almost gave up though because you were always surrounded by so many people but then finally you were alone and…and it just seemed like it was meant to happen."

"_Big mistake on my part."_ Charlie thought dryly, regretting his decision not to go with his brother. He felt sorry for the woman but was growing impatient. "Look, Jillian I still don't understand what I can do to help you."

"The two of you were so close that I was hoping that you could ….sort of stand in for him…you know, speak on his behalf?" She paused to swallow then her voice took on a more desperate edge. "I …I thought that if you could forgive me for what I did then that would mean that he would've forgiven me too if he had been given the chance, and then I could put it all behind me and move on with my life."

"_Ludicrous absolutely ludicrous_," was Charlie's first thought but as he gazed into her pleading blue eyes he found himself compelled to listen to her story. Besides, he told himself if Tom had cared for Jillian wouldn't he want Charlie to help her? Of course she could've hurt Tom so deeply that he had stopped caring about her. This was ridiculous, there was no way that he could honestly say what Tom would have done or said; it would be purely speculation on his part. He dropped his head and kneaded the muscles in his neck as he mulled over her strange request. Finally he raised his head and met her eyes.

"Tom and I are two different people and I won't pretend that I know what he would have said to you but," he paused suddenly at the crestfallen look on her face, "but I can tell you what I think he might have said." A look of hope crossed her face but he wasn't finished yet. "Tom was more than just a friend to me so if you're seeking absolution for hurting him in some way then I feel the need to warn you that you may not find it here."

"I...I understand that," she replied eagerly, "and I'm fully prepared to accept the fact that he couldn't forgive me if that is your decision. All I ask is that you keep an open mind until you hear the full story."

"_Jilly?" Tom whispered in surprise, appearing suddenly at Charlie's side. He stretched out his hand and gently touched her cheek. "I've never stopped loving you, Jilly." He continued to gaze into her eyes but she looked right through him unaware that he was even standing there. Without taking his eyes off of her he spoke to his friend. "Please listen to her, Charlie. I need to hear what she has to say."_

Charlie couldn't explain it but he suddenly he felt as if Tom would want him to hear her out. "Very well," he agreed, "I'll try not to jump to any conclusions. What did you do?"

Relieved, Jillian waved her hand toward the park. "Do you mind if we walk?"

"Not at all," Charlie eagerly replied a surge of relief washing over him; the more people around them the better. As they started out he was painfully reminded of the reason that had brought him to the parking lot in the first place.

"Are you hurt?" Jillian asked, noticing the way that he was limping.

Charlie shook his head. "Not really, I'm just a little sore from a hike that I took yesterday."

"That's right- the trail marker. You and your friends put it up yesterday." Her blue eyes softened and an expression of gratitude crossed her features. "The marker yesterday, the memorial plaque and the celebration today would have meant a lot to Tom. He was really lucky to have you for a friend."

Charlie shrugged self-consciously. "It wasn't all my doing. Tom was well liked here, he was a part of this community and they wanted to honor his memory."

As they approached the park the distant hum of noise they'd heard in the parking lot began to break out into individual sounds. A man's voice hawking raffle tickets could easily be heard over the multitude of voices and Jordan Spark's "Like a tattoo" became identifiable as they rejoined the crowd of people. Charlie's eyes flickered over the park, marking Alan , Larry and two women sitting at a table sampling pies then darted around until he spotted Amita and Robin at another table setting out small dishes of ice cream as a large group of people lined up to purchase them. Don wasn't visible at first but as they continued to walk the ball field came into view and even from a distance he could pick out Don demonstrating his batting technique to Hank, Neil and a few members of the Blue team. The sound of running feet suddenly resonated behind them and they had to move aside quickly when a group of small boys with painted faces ran past them, whooping and hollering as they pretended to be American Indians on the warpath.

The music changed to Uncle Kracker's_ Drift Away _before Jillian finally started to speak again. She walked between Charlie and Tom without sensing that his ghostly presence was there and barely looked up enough to keep from walking into people as she told her story.

"I first met Tom in our freshman year but we didn't really start dating until our senior year," Jillian said her voice thick with emotion. "He proposed to me a few weeks before graduation."

Charlie's footsteps faltered and he came to a sudden halt as the memory of Tom's graduation flashed through his mind. "I remember you now," he said excitedly, "only your hair was longer back then."

"Right," she nodded happily, glad that he had finally remembered her. "After the ceremony we had a celebratory dinner at that little restaurant over at Palmer Square. Remember? It was called the…ah…the…something Spoon." Her brow furrowed as she tried to recall the name.

"The Bent Spoon," Charlie supplied with a grin."They had the best ice cream there."

"Yes…that was it," Jillian agreed enthusiastically, rolling her eyes skyward at the memory. "Their Rocky Road ice cream was absolutely _to die for."_

_Tom chortled remembering that time of his life. "I think I gained ten pounds that last semester because we went over there so many times just so you could have a bowl of that ice cream_."

Charlie chuckled then a moment later his smile faded. "So what happened? All Tom ever told me was that distance and your careers had taken its toll on your relationship so you'd decided to split up."

She nodded sadly. "That was pretty much the truth of it except he was being kind since he didn't add my stupidity as one of the reasons." At his inquisitive look she explained further. "Biology was my major so after I got my Master's degree I got a job offer from a research company in New Hampshire. Unfortunately for us Tom got a two-year apprenticeship to study an active volcano at exactly the same time." She got a distant look in her eyes then smiled sadly as she relived the memory. "Oh, Charlie, you should have seen how excited he was."

"_An opportunity like this doesn't come along every day," Tom told Jillian enthusiastically. "Mount Etna is actually spewing lava! Do you know what that means? I'll have a chance to actually study a live volcano." He picked her up and swung her around the room in his excitement._

"_But Tom what about our wedding?" Jillian asked breathlessly._

"_We can still get married before we go we'll just have to plan a smaller wedding instead." At her sad look he hastily added. "Just think about it honey, we can live In Sicily. It'll be an awesome experience."_

"_You're just thinking about yourself, Thomas Hill!" Jillian cried, bristling with anger. "What about me? What am I supposed to do while you're up there working on that mountain?" She stepped back, crossing her arms tightly beneath her breasts while she waited for him to answer._

_Shocked by her outburst Tom's expression quickly changed to one of confusion. "I...I don't understand. I thought you'd be excited at the idea. You're always going on about how much you want to visit Europe and if we lived in Sicily it would be easy for us to travel to other countries." He took a step closer. "Jilly, don't you see? You'd have a chance to visit all of the countries that you've talked about and…and it wouldn't cost us that much to see them either." _

_She glared at him, her mouth tight with disapproval. "I wanted to visit them not live there and what about my career, huh? Or had you even thought about that?"_

"_Of course I've thought about it. As a matter of fact I checked into it and there are a lot of companies in Italy that are looking for people with your qualifications." He gave her a hopeful smile and moved close enough to take her in his arms. " Baby, you won't have any problems finding a job there." Tom bent his head and placed a hesitant kiss on her lips hoping that she would respond but she remained as still and silent as a statue. Hurt and disbelief clouded his blue eyes as he met her silent stare. "I…I thought you wanted to be together."_

"_I do, Tom," Jillian said with a condescending smile. "Look, there are volcanoes over here that you could observe. You can get a job studying one of them and that way we'll still be able to have a large wedding, like we planned. "_

_Tom stiffened up. "There are no volcanoes in New Hampshire, Jilly."_

She waved a hand dismissively. "I know that silly." She stepped closer and wrapped her arms _around his waist. "Don't you see, we could live in New Hampshire and you could travel to a volcano whenever you needed too?"_

_Tom couldn't believe what he was hearing as he gently removed her arms and stepped back from her. "Jillian we've discussed this aspect of my career choice many times and you've known all along that we would have to live near the volcano site that I would be observing."_

"_Then maybe you should find another career," she suggested, her voice rising several octaves. _

_Tom's mouth gaped open in surprise. "What? I've been studying all my life for this moment and now that I finally have an opportunity to work on an active volcano you want me to just give it up…..just like that?"His eyes anxiously searched her face. "I thought that you loved me." _

"_I do Tom, and I'm only thinking of what is best for us. Trust me we'll be much happier if you find another line of work."_

_Tom nodded numbly and turned away, his heart breaking with the sudden realization that his relationship with Jillian was coming to an end. How could he have been so wrong? _

"_Where are you going?" _

"_I...ah," Tom cleared his throat. "I just need to think, that's all." He'd reached the door and as he opened it she said the words that ended their relationship._

"_I'm warning you Tom, if you take that job we're through!" Jillian exclaimed raising her chin stubbornly._

_Tom's shoulders slumped as he turned around and sadly met her eyes. "Then I guess it's over. Good-bye Jillian." Without another word he strode through the doorway, slamming the door shut behind him_.

Jillian wiped a tear and glanced briefly at Charlie. "It was a stupid thing to do and I'm not proud of it." Her lips trembled as a sad smile played across her lips. "I didn't realize how much I truly loved him until he'd left and then it was too late."

"Did you try to contact him?"

She shook her head sadly. "No. I was too full of pride back then to admit that I was wrong and he wouldn't have taken me back anyway."

Charlie arched an eyebrow. "You didn't know that for sure?"

"Yes, I did. I saw it in his eyes when he left. I had broken his heart and I knew that he would never trust me again." Her voice broke and she looked aside.

"_Oh, Jillian, my sweet Jillian, I would have taken you back in a heartbeat." Tom's spirit whispered brokenly at her side._

Charlie wasn't sure what to say so he just nodded sadly and walked on in silence thinking of Tom and how difficult it must have been for him to walk away from her. He searched his memory but couldn't recall his friend ever mentioning her name to him again. Suddenly Jillian came to a halt and he looked up in surprise; he had been so engrossed in her story that he hadn't noticed that they had walked to the other side of the park.

…...

Don grumbled under his breath as he trudged painfully back to the parking lot in search of his brother. All the while he kept thinking of the ways that he was going to make Charlie pay for abandoning him just so that he could go and take a nap in the car. Well, he wasn't going to get away with it, no sir; little brother was going to pay for this… _big time_.

The Prius came into view and without even looking in the car he rapped briskly on the window. "Open up Charlie." When his brother didn't respond he peered through the tinted glass and was surprised to find the car empty.

"Huh?" he muttered with a glance at his watch. It had only been twenty-five minutes since they parted so he should still be here. Don scrubbed a hand through his hair and glanced around the parking lot then grinned at a thought. Maybe someone else had approached Charlie and he had never made it to the car either. He chuckled mercilessly; it would serve the little twerp right if that was what had happened to him.

Don made his way back to the park and scanned the crowd for Charlie but didn't spot him anywhere then decided to head over to a table where Robin and Amita were filling an ice cream bowl for Larry.

"Hey," the agent said, limping over to Robin's side to give her a kiss.

"Oh, look, it's Benedict Arnold." Robin announced sarcastically; neatly sidestepping him and joining Amita on the other side of the table.

Don offered up his most innocent look to plead his case. "Seriously guys, there wasn't a thing that we could have done to help you. By the time we realized what had happened Faye had already taken you away."

"Traitor," Robin retorted, clearly not buying any excuses.

"Yeah, well if you makes you feel any better I didn't make it to the car either," he grumbled irritably. "And speaking of traitors where is that little twerp anyway?"

Larry paused just short of putting a spoon filled with ice cream in his mouth. "To whom are you referring?"

"That traitorous little brother of mine, of course," he growled checking out the different ice cream flavors.

"What exactly did Charles do?"

"What did he do?" Don asked in a mock outrageous tone. "Chuck turned his back on me when I needed his help- that's what he did!"

Amita shared a shocked look with Larry then turned a skeptical gaze on her brother in law. "Don, I find it hard to believe that Charlie would just walk away if you needed his help. What exactly did he do?"

"I didn't make it to the car either because Hank and Neil drug me back to the ball field and the little rat didn't even try to stop them."

Amita and Robin exchanged grins then Robin stepped around the table and confronted Don. She crossed her arms, cleared her throat and began to speak like the district attorney that she was.

"Let me see if I have this correct, Agent Eppes."

A look of horror crossed Don's features as he suddenly realized what he had just said.

"You and Charlie were on your way to the car when you were accosted by two individuals who proceeded to drag you away against your will and although you pleaded for assistance your brother just turned a deaf ear and walked away." She arched an eyebrow and added. "Is that a correct assessment?"

"Yeah," Don answered warily. "I guess so."

"You feel as if you were wronged and now you are seeking retribution. Is that also correct?"

Don covered his mouth with his hand to hide the grin on his face. "That would also be correct."

"Tell me sir how your experience differs from ours and why only moments ago you claimed mitigating circumstances in your own defense."

Unable to control himself any longer Don burst into laughter then pulled her close. "I can show you some mitigating circumstances, counselor."

Robin pushed him away and laughed. "I may have to cuff you and hold you in contempt, Agent Eppes."

Don pressed his wrists together and stretched out his hands. With his tongue firmly planted in his cheek he managed to keep a straight face as he asked. "Ah…would that be your cuffs… or mine?"

Robin blushed to the roots of her hair and fell laughingly into his arms. "How am I supposed to keep a straight face with a line like that?"

"You're not," Don snickered, pulling her in close for a kiss.

Amita stood up suddenly and gazed around the park. "Where is Charlie anyway?"

"You mean he really didn't come back here?" Don asked as he and Robin came up for air.

"No, I haven't seen him since we were on our way to the car."

"I'm sure Charles will be along shortly," Larry said rising to his feet. "In the meantime I suggest that we start dishing out some more ice cream." He motioned to a long line of people heading in their direction.

"Maybe I should go look for Charlie," Don suggested, eyeing the advancing line.

Robin immediately grabbed his arm. "Not so fast buster," she said handing him an ice cream scoop. "Here's your chance to make amends."

…..

"Do you mind if we sit for awhile? There's an empty bench over there." Jillian pointed to one near the front gate of the fence surrounding the small playground.

Cautiously Charlie glanced around before nodding his okay. They weren't alone; there were a number of children playing on the equipment as well as their parents standing outside of the fence keeping an eye on them.

"All right." He said then followed her over to the bench. Charlie winced as he eased himself down next to the woman then glanced sideways at Jillian as silence fell between them. The sound of children's laughter drew his attention to the playground and a soft smile parted his lips as he watched a young couple carefully set their daughter in a swing. The young child began to squeal with delight as the father gently pushed her back and forth while the little girl's mother laughed and stepped back to take a movie of them. His eyes drifted over the other children laughing and playing; some were screaming loudly as they came swooshing down the slides while boys and girls alike raced to climb the small rock wall. A few feet away from the wall there were two small boys and a little girl playing in a sand box settling on a less active form of play so they could create imaginary mountains and roads with plastic toy dump trucks. An old fashioned monkey bar stood in the center of the playground but despite its age the well-kept piece of equipment appeared to be a favorite of some of the older children.

Charlie's eyes flickered over the adults watching the activities, many of them dressed in red or blue tee shirts. There were fewer younger couples than older ones; grandparents enjoying the day with their grandchildren. The young man thought of his own father and his endless talk of grandchildren then swallowed hard at a sudden feeling of regret that Alan couldn't be there at that very moment watching his own grandchildren at play. In truth he and Amita had recently been discussing having children but as he watched the kids playing Charlie realized how much he really wanted a child of their own.

"Do you have any children?" Jillian asked, following his gaze.

"No, not yet," Charlie said his eyes darting back to her. It was as if she had read his mind and he was uncomfortable discussing a subject so close to his heart with a stranger; it was time to get this over with so he could join his wife.

"Jillian, you still haven't told me anything that Tom didn't know so …."

"I know," she anxiously interrupted him, suddenly afraid that he might leave without hearing her out. Nervously she tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear then stammered out." I…I'm coming to that part. When Tom and I parted I went to work for that research co in New Hampshire but it didn't take me long to realize that I didn't like that type of work so I went back to school and became a doctor. I went to work for a large hospital then five years ago I attended a medical conference in Atlanta. My return flight included changing planes in Washington DC but a freak snowstorm hit the area so I was forced to stay over for the night." She paused to swallow her gaze settling on the distant monolith as she spoke. "I got a room at a nearby hotel and as I headed toward the elevators I bumped into an old friend." Jillian glanced sideways at him then smiled self-consciously. "It was Tom; he was on his way home and his flight had been cancelled too. Anyway, since we were both stranded there we decided to have dinner together…for old times' sake." She sighed heavily dropping her eyes to her hands while she nervously picked at her jeans. "Our old animosities had mellowed with time and I remember how we laughed and filled in the blanks of the years that had separated us." She raised her head and met his gaze, unshed tears glistening in her eyes as her voice dropped to a near whisper. "I didn't want our evening to end…and...then…well one thing led to another and we ended up spending the night together."

_Tom stood silently behind her his thoughts and feelings identical to Jillian's as her words took him back to that long ago night._

"There was something that I should have told him before things got out of hand but it just felt so right to be with him….you know….that I just couldn't tell him. You see I had been dating someone for a few months and things were starting to get serious between us so I really…shouldn't have….with him but I couldn't stop myself." She glanced away embarrassed by her admission. "I don't really expect you to understand."

"I do understand, "Charlie told her quietly his brown expressive eyes full of compassion. "I experienced a similar situation a few years ago myself."

She eyed him thoughtfully then nodded sadly. "In the morning I wanted to be honest with him so I told Tom about Peter. He became angry and told me that I hadn't changed after all then stormed out of the room. That was the last time I ever saw him." Her voice broke then she grasped his hand in hers. "I…I hurt him," she confessed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I saw it in his eyes but I didn't mean too…I…I just thought that he should know the truth. Was I wrong to tell him?"

"No," Charlie replied thickly, ensnared by the desperate plea in her eyes. He felt an affinity with this woman and colored slightly as her story triggered a memory involving an old girl friend of his, Susan Berry. Their situations had been very similar; Susan had come to Los Angeles on a book tour and they had met for dinner. One thing had led to another and they had spent the night together but then in the morning before she left to go back to London she had told him about the new man in her life. Although her words had stung a little he pretended that his feelings hadn't been hurt and they had parted as friends. A short time later he realized that he was truly happy that she had found someone else because he really didn't love her anymore. He gazed sadly at the woman next to him and thought of his friend. From the way that Jillian had described Tom's reaction it was apparent to him that Tom had still been in love with her.

Jillian released his hands and wiped away her tears then cleared her throat and started speaking once again. "I went home and tried to put it all behind me but after only a few dates with Peter I knew that I still loved Tom so I broke up with him."

"_Oh, Jilly," Tom sighed mournfully sitting down on the other side of Charlie. "I would have come to you if I had only known how you felt."_

"A few weeks later I realized that I was pregnant." Jillian's eyes darted to an elderly couple standing by the fence then she motioned for them to come over.

"Mommy, mommy," a small voice suddenly squealed excitedly.

Startled, Charlie looked up to see the elderly couple walking toward them then suddenly a small figure darted away from them and lunged toward Jillian. She wrapped the little boy in her arms and hugged him tightly then sat him on her lap so that he was facing the young man.

"Hi there," Charlie said smiling at the child, his eyebrows rising in mild curiosity with this latest development.

"Got a rock," the little boy cried out excitedly and held out his hand toward the professor. Charlie opened his palm and the little boy put the rock in his hand. "It's from the bolcano."

"From the volcano? Really?" Charlie asked playing along. He was a beautiful child with a head full of straight blonde hair, cut page boy style and big bright blue eyes that were all lit up from the excitement of his discovery. Charlie started to look up at Jillian but then his eyes darted back to the boys face; there was something strangely familiar about his eyes and the excited intelligent expression reflected in them but he couldn't quite put his finger on it until Jillian's next words began to sink in.

"Naturally I assumed that the child was Peter's but after my son was born it was obvious that the baby wasn't his."

Two heads slowly angled upward to meet her gaze then a pair of dark brown eyes and a pair of ghostly blue ones stared at her in stunned silence.

"Charlie, this is my son, Tommy," Jillian said softly then despite the protests of the little boy, she pulled him into her arms and placed a kiss on the top of his head.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: I appreciate your reviews. Thank you.

Chapter 14:

"Wait," Charlie whispered holding his hand to his temple in an effort to concentrate on her words; had she really just said what he thought she had said? "Ah, hmm," he tried to speak but his words caught in his throat. He coughed, tried again. "Ah…you're telling me that this little boy is…is Tom's son?"

"Yes, Charlie-that's exactly what I am saying." Jillian replied quietly, her blue eyes dark with worry; maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all. She kissed the struggling child one more time then sat Tommy back on her lap so that he was facing the mathematician once again.

Charlie couldn't have been more shocked if Tom had come back from the dead and suddenly appeared before him. Numbly his eyes drifted back to the little boy's face; he couldn't believe it…and yet the eyes, mouth, and hair as well as the expressions on the child's face reminded him of Tom and right now the boy was wearing one of Tom's stubborn, determined looks.

"Mine," Tommy cried out his small hands grasping at Charlie's closed fist. "Give it back."

Startled out of his reverie Charlie immediately opened his hand so the little boy could retrieve his rock. "Oh…ah sorry," he muttered apologetically but Tommy had already forgotten about him. "Wanna get down," he exclaimed loudly, squirming out of his mother's arms. The little boy promptly sat down on the ground at her feet then began to look through the grass for more rocks.

….

_Ghostly tears glistened on the cheeks of the spirit of Thomas Hill as he rose from the bench and silently sank to his knees beside his son. The entity stared in disbelief at the child next to him as a myriad of emotions swirled through his ethereal body. Speechless, he covered his mouth with his hands and gazed in awe at the child. Tom had no doubt of Jillian's revelation; he could feel the truth of it. His heart felt as if it was going to burst; suddenly swelling with so much love that he seemed to soar to the very heavens; __**he had a son**__…this little boy was __**his**__ son. _

_Then just as quickly a profound sadness overtook him and he plummeted back to earth with the realization that he would never get to hold his son and that Tommy would never know him as his father. A low moan escaped his lips as that knowledge ripped at his heart. Tom hesitantly stretched out his hand and gently placed it over the little boy's hand then sobbed with despair when he couldn't feel the warmth of the small fingers. He recoiled from the emptiness of the touch and squeezed his eyes shut as his emotions began to spin out of control._

_If he had opened his eyes he would have been surprised to see Tommy tilt his head and stare at him but anger and feelings of betrayal at Jillian's deception suddenly infused him with such rage that he fled to the summit of Mt. Saint Helens. How could she do this to him? How could she have denied him the knowledge of his son's existence?_

_His spirit became one with the elements as his keening wails joined the howling winds. Tom lashed mindlessly at the mountainside releasing his fury with abandon until all of his energy was spent then collapsed to his knees on the summit. Wrapping his arms around himself he rocked back and forth sobbing uncontrollably, lamenting all that had been taken from him. He knelt there his eyes open and staring outward but seeing nothing until his thoughts slowed down and the blue sky came into focus once again. The agony of his loss had been replaced by a sort of numbness and a feeling of resigned acceptance washed over him; what was done was done and nothing that he could do would ever change that. _

_Tom shifted his position and moved closer to the cornice then sat with his legs dangling over its edge. He gazed at the snow-capped peaks of Mount Adams, Mount Hood and Mount Rainier and as usual the endless sea of white billowy clouds that surrounded them brought a sense of peace to his tortured soul but this time he desperately reached for it like a drowning man gasping for air__. _

_Finally, he was calm once again so he returned to the park. Tom felt like he had been gone for hours but in reality only a few seconds had actually passed so everyone except the little boy was still sitting where he had left them; in his search for more rocks Tommy had wandered down to the end of the bench._

_Tom sank to the ground, sitting cross-legged in the grass a few feet in front of his son determined to memorize everything about him. He didn't know what was waiting for him on the other side of the light but he hoped that his memories would stay with him forever and he wanted to remember every little detail about his son._

"_Wanna see my rock?" Tommy asked suddenly holding out his hand._

_Startled Tom twisted around to see who was behind him but then turned a puzzled eye back to the little boy when he couldn't see anyone. Was it possible that his son could see him? _

"_Sure," he said deciding to test his theory by opening his palm. To his surprise and extreme delight Tommy placed the rock in his hand which promptly fell to the ground. _

"_Hey, how did you do that?" The little boy asked his s eyes widening with surprise. _

"_Ah…it's magic." _

"_I like magic," Tommy exclaimed excitedly. "Can you do it again?" At Tom's nod he picked up the rock up and tried again. He laughed suddenly when it dropped to the ground and thinking it a game began to continuously try to put it in Tom's hand._

_The sound of the boy's laughter was music to Tom's ears; it was melodious, like a song and was the most wonderful sound that he had ever heard. Tom didn't understand why his son could see and hear him but as his soul filled with joy he realized that he'd been given a most precious gift; one that would remain with him throughout eternity so he lost himself in his son's sweet innocence . The boy's contagious laughter sent his heart soaring to new heights and he soon found himself laughing along with the child as he immersed himself in their game._

"_Your name is Tommy, isn't it?" he asked longing to carry on a conversation with his son._

"_Yep," the little boy said as he picked up the rock and waited for Tom to hold out his hand again._

"_Ah…my name is Tom too," the entity told him feeling a sudden overwhelming need to tell the little boy who he really was. "As a matter of fact I…ah…I'm your father."_

_Tommy glanced at him curiously then made a line of rocks on the ground in front of him. "One, two, three, four and five!" he exclaimed triumphantly as he counted them out for Tom to see._

"_That's very good," Tom said encouragingly then stammered out. "Ah ….Tommy did you hear what I said? I'm your Da…Daddy."_

_The little boy looked up and frowned. "I don't have a daddy," he said sadly then his face lit up as he added. "But I'm not the only one. Brad's Dad died in the war and Jason's was killed in a car accident last year."_

"_Are they your friends at school?" At Tommy's nod he smiled sadly. "I feel sorry for them but I really am your father."_

_Frowning, the little boy shook his head. "Mommy said my daddy is dead too." _

"_I know...and…and I am …but somehow I am here too." He tilted his head and pleaded softly. "Please don't be afraid of me?"_

_Tommy shrugged, grinned and then uttered the one word that Tom never thought that he would hear._

"_Daddy."_

_Tom gasped as a single tear ran slowly down his cheek. There really was a God in heaven. It had to be a miracle; how else could a dead man hear his child call him daddy?_

…

"Mom, Dad this is Dr. Charles Eppes, he was Tom's best friend." Jillian said rising to her feet to make the introductions. "Charlie, I'd like to introduce my parents, Grace and Harold Beal."

Embarrassed Charlie rose quickly to his feet; he had been so shocked by her announcement that he hadn't even realized that the elderly couple were standing in front of him.

"Ah…pleasure to meet you," he said extending his hand to Jillian's father. Beal had the same height and build of his own father but the similarities ended there and Charlie put the man's age somewhere in the mid-sixties. He was bald but sported a neatly trimmed white moustache and while he appeared to be easy-going Charlie had the distinct impression that he was being weighed and measured.

"Heard a lot about you, son," Beal stated as he shook Charlie's hand, "but I have to admit you're not what I expected. With that whole _genius_ thing going I thought you'd be a little more…ah…"

"Pompous." Charlie supplied with a tired smile; he'd actually heard that more times than he liked to admit.

"Yeah, I suppose that was the word I was looking for." Harold agreed, eyeing him closely. "I meant no offense though."

"None taken, sir," Charlie replied with a slight shrug.

"Harold, really?" Grace tisked, cuffing him lightly on the arm. She was an older version of her daughter and around the same age as her husband but Charlie saw only kindness in her careworn face."Don't mind him Professor; he just gets a little cranky when he's really hungry."

"I'm just a little bit hungry," Harold corrected her in his own defense then turned back to face Charlie. "Hey, I really enjoyed that baseball game. That was an impressive hit your brother made. Any chance he might get back into the game?"

Picturing Don as he left the field Charlie couldn't keep from grinning. "I don't think so sir."

"That's a damn shame; he's one hell of a power hitter."

"I'll tell him you said so. Oh, and thanks for supporting us." Charlie said eyeing their red tee shirts; even little Tommy was wearing one. "I think there are more people wearing the red ones than the blue." His eyes flickered over the part of the park that he could see; there were at least three red shirts for every two blue ones that he spotted.

"That's not surprising when you consider how well liked Tom was" Grace said somberly. "I think it's only natural that most people would root for the team that his_ little brother_ was playing on."

"I suppose so." Charlie agreed swallowing hard as his thoughts drifted back to his friend.

Harold's gaze drifted around the park then settled back on Charlie. "This is a nice thing you're doing to honor Tom's memory." He shook his head sadly. "It's a damn shame that lunatic murdered him like that." His eyes suddenly turned fierce. "The police got the man, right?"

"Yes," Charlie replied thickly, bile rising in his throat at the mention of Schiller. "He was killed in a shootout with the F.B.I." It wasn't exactly the truth but it would have to do because he had no intention of going into the details of how Don had killed the man.

"Good. At least justice was served." His eyes drifted to his daughter's face and his tone softened."You know I always liked Tom, except for his hair. That long hair drove me a little crazy but other than that I always thought that Tom was more leveled headed than most men his age."

"I know that, Dad," Jillian replied sadly then changed the subject before he could add anything else. "Ah… since it's going to be awhile until dinnertime," Jillian said, addressing her parents, "would you mind taking Tommy over to get some ice cream?"

"That's a great idea," her father answered enthusiastically. "Hey, Tommy, do you want …," he began but paused suddenly glancing around the bench area and back again. "Who's he talking too?"

They all turned to look but although the little boy appeared to be talking to someone there was no one else around.

Jillian walked over and squatted down in front of the youngster. "Hey, you," she said teasingly, "just who are you talking too?"

"Him," Tommy answered pointing to a spot to her left.

She quickly glanced to her left then back at her son. "Very funny," she said, ruffling his hair fondly. "Your imagination is running wild today, isn't it?"

"But Mommy," he cried out, wanting her to see Tom too. "It's Daddy. Can't you see him?"

"Daddy?" Jillian tilted her head and sighed sadly. "Oh, baby, daddy's not here."

"Is too." Tommy declared his lips firmly pressed together in a defiant pout.

Jillian recognized the stubborn set of her son's jaw and knew the only way to change his mind was to distract him. She stood up and held out her hand. "Do you want to go and get some ice cream?"

With his head nodding vigorously the little boy scrambled to his feet. "Can I have some strawberry ice cream?" he asked taking his mother's hand.

"Honey, you can have any flavor that you want," she replied, leading the child back to join the others.

Before his daughter returned Harold stepped closer to Charlie and spoke in a voice so low that only the mathematician could hear him clearly. "Jillian's made mistakes, son, but she's trying to make amends. Just so you know I'm against this for two reasons. First, because I don't see how this will help her any and secondly because I feel that it's unfair of her to ask this of you but she's got it in her head to do this and she can't move on until she does. All I ask is that you remember that she loved Tom too."

Charlie didn't get a chance to respond because Harold stepped backed suddenly when his daughter and grandson joined them.

Jillian knelt down to hug her son and give him some instructions. "Don't let go of Mom Mom and Pop Pop's hands okay?"

"Okay Mommy."

Jillian kissed him on the cheek then stood up. "I'll join you in a few minutes." She said to her parents.

"It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Professor," her father said as they started to leave. "Maybe we'll see you again before we leave today."

"That would be nice." Charlie replied politely then watched them walk away, his eyes locked on the little boy. Tommy twisted around and looked over his shoulder as he walked, smiling as his eyes flittered from his mother to Charlie but then he did a surprising thing by smiling at the empty space next to Charlie.

Puzzled, Charlie glanced sideways then turned to look behind him but no one was there. "What a funny little kid," he thought as he turned back around and watched the trio pass from view.

"Sorry about that, I'm afraid that Dad can be a little blunt at times."

"That's okay," he said still staring straight ahead. "What kind of work does your father do?"

She glanced sideways at him, her lips curving upwards in a smile. "Dad was in the Marines. He was a drill sergeant for over thirty years."

This drew a chuckle from the mathematician as he visualized a drill sergeant meeting his daughter's long-haired fiancée for the first time. "I get the comment about Tom's hair now."

"Yeah," she sighed, shaking her head at the memory. "That was definitely a point of contention back then."

Charlie scrubbed a hand through his hair and sighed tiredly. "Do you mind if we sit on the bench for a while? I'm starting to get a cramp in my leg."

"That's…that's fine with me." She stammered out, realizing that the words she dreaded to hear would probably be spoken soon.

Charlie limped over to the bench and eased himself down. He squeezed his eyes shut to help ease the throbbing in his temple as he slowly massaged the calf of his right leg. The call of an eagle drew his eyes skyward and as he watched its flight he longed to fly away with it. The joy and excitement of the day had been diminished by Jillian's revelation and her news had sent his mind reeling in all directions.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Jillian said softly watching the bird's flight as well. Anxiously she sat down next to him and looked down at the grass, her face turned away from him.

"Yes, it is," he agreed absently, his thoughts no longer on the bird. His gaze flitted over the young couple happily pushing their little girl in the swing and then drifted to the other parents standing around the fence laughingly calling to their kids as they played in the sand box or climbed on the equipment.

Charlie's heart ached for his friend; the man had been wronged in so many ways. Not only had a mad man taken Toms life but for five years prior to his death the woman that he loved had hidden the birth of their son from him.

Suddenly he felt as if a war was raging inside of his head; his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves then turned to face her.

"Why?"Charlie asked bitterly, his words harsher than he intended them to be. "Why did you keep this from Tom?"

Jillian flinched, recoiling from the sound of his voice. "I tried to tell him…well sort of anyway."

Charlie's dark brows were drawn together, his eyes full of sorrow. "It isn't fair," he said in a voice filled with anguish. "Tom would have been a wonderful father."

Jillian turned to face him then, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know," she said her voice barely above a whisper.

Charlie swallowed hard and averted his eyes. "What did you mean when you said that you tried to tell him?"

"When I realized that he was Tom's son I tried to contact him. I left messages but he never returned my calls so I convinced myself that he really didn't want to see me again and that it wouldn't be fair to Tommy to have a father that wouldn't want him around."

_Tom had been pacing nervously in front of the bench anxiously awaiting her explanation but his footsteps faltered at her words. He shoved his hands in his pockets and bowed his head as flashes of memory began to surface. "It's true, Charlie." He recalled mournfully. "Jillian did call me but I never returned her calls because hearing from her brought back too many painful memories."_

"Why come forth now?" Charlie asked his voice muffled by his hands as he rubbed his face tiredly. At this point he wasn't sure what had drained all of his energy, the physical exertions of the past two days or the overwhelming sorrow he felt for his friend that Jillian's revelation had caused.

"I like to think that with age I've grown wiser," she replied hoping to lighten the mood a little but she blushed and looked aside when his frown deepened. "When…ah…when Tommy turned five I realized that I had been wrong to keep him from Tom so I tracked him down determined to do the right thing." She took a trembling breath and turned to face him, her eyelashes wet with tears. "But I was a week too late."

"I'm sorry," he said thickly, looking away to wipe at a few stray tears of his own.

She nodded, was silent for a moment then continued. "Anyway, my parents and I, and Tommy of course, returned for his memorial. That was beautiful service, by the way. I think that he would have been pleased by what you said."

His brow wrinkled in confusion. "Thanks, but if you were at the memorial I don't understand why you didn't say something then?"

Jillian glanced away, her lips drawn tightly together; pulling a tissue from her pocket she blew her nose before looking back.

"I was devastated with his loss and…and consumed by guilt over what I had done to him." She paused to wipe at her tears. "I…I just couldn't face his friends and tell them what I had done. Afterwards we had dinner at the local café and I saw the petition that had been started so we added our names to the list. We decided to stay around for a few more days and look around a little bit before returning back east." She coughed, had to clear her throat then started speaking again. "Anyway after we got back home we decided that we really liked Castle Rock and that it would be a good place to raise Tommy so we packed up and moved here. I found out that the local doctor had made plans to retire so I've taken over his practice and we've been here for a little over a month now."

"Why? Why would you do that?" Charlie asked, his brows disappearing beneath his curls; her decision made no sense to him. "Tom is gone. What could you possibly gain by moving here now?"

Jillian leaned over and lightly squeezed his hand. "It's not for me, Charlie, it's for Tommy. He'll be able to grow up surrounded by the people that knew and loved his father. He can learn about him through their stories and get to know him in a way that I would never be able to show him."She swallowed thickly. "Every boy should know who his father was."

The mathematician waved a hand encompassing the park. "Sooo everyone knows?"

"No," she replied with a shake of her head. "I haven't told anyone yet…I…I wanted you to know first, although I have petitioned the court to legally change Tommy's last name to Hill."

Charlie eyed her thoughtfully. "In order to do that you would have to prove legitimacy so I assume that you had a sample of Tom's DNA."

"Yes. You see, when Tom stormed out all those years ago he left a few of his things behind, one of them being his comb. I stuck everything in a plastic bag with the intention of returning them to him but that never happened so after Tommy was born I remembered the comb and found that it still held several strands of his hair so with that I had enough for a test."

Charlie wiggled his eyebrows and grinned at her. "Guess all that long hair wasn't such a bad thing after all, huh?"

Jillian laughed and gave him a wink. "Between you and me I always loved running my fingers through his long hair."

_Tom sat down next to Jillian longing to take her in his arms and comfort her. "Oh, Jilly, my dear sweet Jilly. I would have been there for you if I had only known that you still loved me."_

"If the court approves Tommy's legitimacy then I can arrange to have all of the profits from Tom's research go to Tommy."

She sat up suddenly, her eyes flashing angrily. "That isn't why I've told you this. I didn't come here for Tom's money."

Charlie raised his hand to calm her. "I didn't say that you did. I just think that Tom would've have wanted to provide for his son."

"Oh…right," she smiled apologetically, "but what about the scholarship?

"Don't worry about that," he assured her with a slight smile. "I'll see that it still gets funded."

"Okay, but we'll put the money into a savings account for Tommy-to be used for his own college education."

"Agreed." Charlie scratched the stubble on his cheek and studied her silently. "There is also the cabin that he left me….

"No," she exclaimed, interrupting him. "Tom wanted you to have it and I'm not going to change that besides I've already bought a cabin." She smiled hesitantly. "I bought the one just around the bend from yours….I was sort of hoping that when you and your family are there that you might spare some time to visit with Tommy. I know that Tom would have wanted his son to know you as…as an uncle or maybe …as his godfather?" A look of surprise flitted across the young man's features and thinking that she might have misspoke Jillian hastily added. "Think on it though…you don't have to give me an answer right now."

_Tom looked into his friend's eyes and felt his heart swell; his expressive eyes said it all. "Thanks, little bro." He glanced at Jillian and knew that she had misread his reaction. "Don't worry, Jillian, Charlie will always be there for Tommy." _

"I would like that very much," Charlie whispered thickly. "I don't need any time to think on it."

Jillian exhaled a sigh of relief and gave him a grateful nod then searched her heart for the courage to ask him the one question that she desperately needed an answer too.

"Charlie, do you think that Tom would've forgiven me for not telling him about Tommy?"

_Suddenly in a panic Tom jumped up and ran to his friend's side. "The answer is yes, Charlie, yes! I still love her and I don't want to see her hurt anymore. Please, look at her…she's suffered enough!" _

Charlie didn't answer her right away but stood up abruptly then began to pace back and forth in front of the bench.

"Do you think that she's alright?" Grace said looking in the direction of the playground. They were currently waiting in the ice cream line trying to teach their excited grandson a little patience.

"Don't worry; I'm sure she's fine."Harold replied, grimacing as he counted the number of people that were still in front of them.

As the last notes of Lady Gaga's "Born this Way" faded away the DJ's voice bellowed out over the speakers. "Here's a treat for all of the Marc Cohn fans out there "Walking in Memphis."

"Now that's music," Harold chortled. He bent down and picked up the little boy and sat him on his shoulders singing and dancing along with the mellow tune.

_Put on my blue suede shoes and  
>I boarded the plane<br>Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues  
>In the middle of the pouring rain<em>

Tommy leaned over his grandfather's head giggling and trying his best to sing along with the song.

_Then I'm walking in Memphis  
>I was walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale<br>Walking in Memphis  
>But do I really feel the way I feel<em>?

The line moved up and soon they found themselves at the edge of the table with only a few people remaining in front of them. The song ended and morphed into one that he didn't recognize as they moved to the head of the line.

Harold's eyes drifted over the people scooping out the ice cream and noted with surprise three members of the red team, particularly the team captain, Don Eppes.

"What kind of ice cream would you like?" Amita asked holding her spoon ready.

"Go ahead Tommy," Grace said kneeling beside of her grandson. "Tell the pretty lady what flavor you want?"

"Strawberry please."

"Here you go my boy," Larry said handing him a small plastic cup filled with ice cream. "There are spoons and napkins at that end of the table."

"How about you folks?" Don asked.

"Do you have any praline?" Grace wanted to know, edging her way down to the end of the table so that Tommy could get a spoon.

Robin began to scoop out the ice cream while Harold requested chocolate and moved on down to the end of the table to wait for his cup.

"How much?" he asked Don, reaching for his wallet.

Don shook his head and pointed to a large pickle jar in the middle of the table which was half-filled with dollar bills and coins. "Donations only. Just put in what you can give."

The retired marine clicked his tongue and glanced around the park. "That's nice. That way everybody can have some ice cream."

Don grinned. "That's the idea."

Harold pulled out his wallet and stuffed a ten dollar bill into the opening of the jar then picked up a spoon.

"Nice." The agent nodded.

"Seemed fair." The former Marine huffed then picked up his spoon but instead of leaving he stepped around the table to talk to Don.

"That was quite a hit, son. Have you ever considered playing on a regular basis?"

Don laughed out loud. "About a million years ago but not anymore. Do you play?"

"Used too…about a million years ago," he snorted borrowing Don's line. "You in law enforcement?"

Don rubbed his chin and eyed the man more closely. His FBI senses were beginning to tingle; the man was leading up to something…he was sure of it. Okay, he could play along.

"F.B.I. You?"

"Retired Marine." He held out his hand. "Harold Beal."

"Don Eppes." The agent replied shaking his hand.

Beal shrugged. "Already knew that." He looked down suddenly when Tommy pulled at his shirt. He and Grace had finished their ice cream while he had been talking.

"Pop Pop, I'm going to get my face painted!" The little boy exclaimed his eyes alight with excitement.

The old marine's face broke out in a grin. "That's great Tommy but let me introduce you to someone before you go. Agent Eppes, this is my wife Grace and our grandson, Tommy."

Don shook Grace's hand then knelt down to shake the little boys. "Nice to meet you, Tommy."

Harold knelt down as well and pointed to Don. "This is Don Eppes; he's the guy that hit that grand slam home run."

The little boy's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Really?" At Don's nod he exclaimed loudly. "That was so awesome!"

Don grinned widely, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Thanks."

"And you know what else?" Harold asked his grandson. "Do you remember that man we met at the playground? The one with the dark curly hair?" At Tommy's vigorous nod he said. "Well, this man is his big brother."

"He was nice. He liked my rock."

"Charlie likes all kinds of rocks, especially the ones that he can climb." Don remarked, his grin fading to a more thoughtful look.

"It was nice meeting you," Grace interjected, taking Tommy by the hand. "We're going to get his face painted now."

"I'll catch up to you in a minute," Beal said as they turned to leave then he and Don rose to their feet.

"You know my brother?" Don asked as Beal turned back to face him

"Not really," the marine said swallowing a spoon full of ice cream. "Met him for the first time about forty minutes ago, that's why I wanted to talk to you. I'd like to know what kind of man he is."

Don's back stiffened up; if this man wanted information about his brother he was going to have to explain why….and he wasn't the only one wondering why; out of the corner of his eye he noticed Amita and Robin moving a little closer.

"Why are you interested in my brother?" Without realizing it Don's tone and stance had slipped into his protective mode.

Beal noticed and waved his hand. "Hold on there. I don't mean him any harm, I was just wondering if he was the kind of man that keeps his word and stands by his friends."

"I'll ask again," Don said quietly, firmly planting his feet on the ground. "Why?"

"Where is Charlie?" Amita asked suddenly, searching his face worriedly, "and why are you asking questions about him?"

"You're his wife?" Beal asked. "Don't worry Mrs. Eppes, I'm sure he'll be along soon…he's with my daughter."

Amita arched a brow and shared a look of surprise with Don and although she trusted Charlie completely she couldn't help wonder what was going on. "And your daughter is…?"

"Jillian, Jillian Beal. Your husband met her at Princeton University."

Don shifted his stance and crossed his arms. "So she's a former classmate." At Beal's nod his brow creased in puzzlement. "That doesn't explain your questions about Charlie."

"Well, you see, I think she's going to ask him to be her son's godfather."

Don's eyes weren't the only ones to widen with surprise at the man's statement. "Let me get this straight. Jillian hasn't seen Charlie since they graduated from Princeton but she wants him to be the godfather of her son." At Beal's nod he scrubbed a hand through his hair in bewilderment then waved a hand at the man. "And you don't see anything wrong with her asking a stranger to be the godfather of your grandson?"

"Well, he's not exactly a stranger," the marine replied, his voice trailing off as he glanced at their faces then he suddenly realized what he had left out. "That's right," he exclaimed in surprise, "you don' know yet, do you?"

"Don't know what?" Don snapped, becoming more than a little impatient with the man.

"The little boy that was here a few moments ago, my grandson Tommy, is the son of Thomas Hill."

Don's mouth wasn't the only one gaping open as he shared surprised looks with Amita, Robin and Larry.

0000000

The mathematician frowned and finally came to a halt in front of the distraught woman. He was afraid to say anything, afraid that he would somehow shatter the fragile hold that she held on her sanity. Should he lie to her? Wouldn't the lie be more merciful than the truth? It wasn't as if telling the truth would help Tom anyway so in this case wouldn't the lie be the better choice? But then did he have the right to dismiss the wrong that had been perpetrated against his friend-a friend that could no longer stand up in his own defense?

Charlie scrubbed his hands through his hair then he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out; this was harder than he thought it was going to be. He cleared his throat and started to speak, motioning with his hands to help explain his thoughts.

"I'm sorry," he said sadly with a slight shake of his head. "I can't pretend to know what Tom would've said in this situation, he was the only one who could truly give you an answer to that question."

The hopeful light left Jillian's eyes and she bowed her head. Silent sobs shook her small frame and tears began to slide down her cheeks.

Charlie felt moisture in his own eyes as he sat down next to her and took her hands in his. "But I can speculate that if Tom still loved you," he said earnestly, pausing as she lifted her head to meet his gaze, "and I have many reasons to suspect that he did, then the answer is yes, Jillian, I think that he would have forgiven you."

Amid the tears a hopeful light began to glow in her eyes."Really? You really believe that?"

"Yes I do."

"Thank you, oh…thank-you," she cried wrapping her arms around him, sobbing with relief.

Charlie patted her back gently then a few minutes later she pulled back and took a deep breath. "Are you okay?"

Jillian smiled. "I'm better now, thanks."She searched his eyes and gently touched his cheek. "Tom was right about you, Charlie. " At his questioning gaze she explained further. "During our last year at Princeton he would often talk about you and I remember him saying that everyone had misjudged you, myself included, and that if we had only taken the time to put our petty jealousies aside we would have discovered the same thing that he had."

"And what was that?"

"He said that the arrogance that you projected was just a shield. One that you created to protect yourself from "the slings and arrows" of lesser men and that hidden beneath that shield was the truest heart that he had ever encountered. I see now that he was right…I only wish that I could have seen it then."

"I don't know," Charlie replied self-consciously, "I'm sure there were a lot of days where Tom didn't even want to be around me either."

"Maybe," she smiled softly, "but I seriously doubt that."

Embarrassed Charlie rose to his feet. He smiled down at her and offered her a hand up. "Why don't we go and look for our families?"

She nodded took his hand and stood up. He waited patiently while she fixed her make-up, fluffed her hair and straightened out her shirt then side by side they strolled back to the main park area in search of their loved ones.

_Tom watched them until they were out of sight. "Thanks Charlie," he thought gratefully, "but I think I may have a way to give Jillian complete closure." With that in mind he began to search through the crowds for Marta_.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

_Seasons_

_By_

_1__st__ endeavor_

_Disclaimer: See Chapter 1_

_A/N: I appreciate your reviews and alerts. Thank you._

_Spoilers: The Fifth Man, Uncertainty Principle_

_Chapter 15:_

"That feels good," Charlie murmured as a gentle breeze playfully tossed his curls before it merrily continued its journey through the park.

"Yes, it does," Jillian agreed tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I didn't think that it was supposed to get this hot today."

"It wasn't," Charlie said with a shake of his head, grateful for the small talk. It was a relief to talk about something as trivial as the weather after their recent conversation. "The weatherman predicted a high of seventy-five but it's got to be at least eighty-five degrees now if not more."

She nodded her head in agreement and they fell silent letting the sounds of the park distract them. Charlie glanced toward the ball field as they passed by but Don and the others were no longer there. In their stead were a group of small boys chasing a soccer ball around the inner field while outside of the surrounding fence a dozen people or more had drawn a rather large crowd of onlookers.

Charlie's footsteps faltered and he slowly came to a stop; holding his hand protectively to shield his eyes from the sun as he gazed at the myriad of colors crisscrossing the bright blue sky. There were kites of all shapes and sizes riding the air currents above the field; small kites with colorful ribbons trailing behind them as well as more elaborate, larger ones-some of them in the shape of animals. One man was expertly flying a kite in the shape of an Osprey with a 44" wing span. The bird's colorful black and brown wings had a realistic look to them as it soared over the field and Charlie was sure that more than one small bird was convinced that it was a real threat and darted under a bush in search of cover. There were large box kites and rainbow kites with bright colors of purple, blue, green and orange that became even more vibrant against the back drop of the cloudless deep blue sky.

Jillian followed his gaze and laughed then pointed to a big kite in the shape of a pirate ship. "Tommy is just going to love that."

"He likes pirates, huh?" Charlie chuckled as his own eyes came to rest on a large dragon kite which sparked a distant memory of his first experiences with kites. After he had gotten over the vibrant colors, which was all of two minutes according to his older brother Donnie he had started analyzing them. He absently scratched the stubble on his chin as the full memory surfaced. They had been at the local park for the first annual "Kite "festival hosted by the Engineering and Physics departments at CalSci. Of course those kites had been made with more intricate designs than the ones that he was viewing today.

_Five year old Charlie Eppes starred in awe at the multitude of kites floating above them. Margaret, Alan, Charlie and Don were all sitting on a blanket at the local park gazing up at the afternoon sky as the first annual kite festival got underway._

"_Wow! Look at that one," ten year old Donnie exclaimed excitedly pointing to a large kite in the shape of a dragon. It was a fearsome creature with glittering scales, giant wings and long green claws. Its red glowing eyes, sharp teeth and a phenomenal fiery breath completed the effect prompting more than one observer to proclaim it as the best kite in the competition. "I think that one should win."_

"_It does look real, doesn't it?" Margaret agreed, leaning over to ruffle her son's hair._

"_Not here, Mom," her oldest complained looking anxiously at the people around them, "What if one of the guys should see you do that?"_

_Alan and Margaret shared a knowing grin; Donnie was at the age where it wasn't cool for his Mom to show her affection in public but it was still expected within the confines of their home._

_Alan covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile before agreeing with his son. "I like that one too. It just might be the one that wins the competition."_

_Five year old Charlie shook his head vigorously, his curls going in all direction. "I don't think so," he said his eyes darting from kite to kite. The little boy had been mesmerized from the moment that he had first set eyes on them. Pointing to a large gray and black kite he explained why he didn't think that the dragon kite would win. "Look at that one. It has a repee….a repetng pattern of kites and squares… arrangd around a central…. oct….octgn….ogtn"he paused frustrated as he stumbled over the words._

"_Octagonal, Charlie," his Dad supplied. "The word that you're looking for is octagonal." _

_Charlie nodded his head vigorously and tried again." Oct... a…gn...al star." He gave up on that one and picked out another kite. "That's a good one too," he said pointing to a bright green and orange geometric centipede. _

"_Why do you think those might win, Charlie?" Alan asked curiously._

"_Because their patterns are ….are…more com…plex than the dragons and…and…my teacher says com…com...plex patterns are best but I really think that one over there will win." The little boy pointed to a red and yellow-green box kite._

"_That one is impressive but why that one instead of one of the others that you mentioned?" Margaret asked studying the kite._

"_Because there's a really neat frac...tal pattern in it," the boy exclaimed excitedly._

"_Patterns," Donnie huffed impatiently. "Charlie can't you just look at something and just see it without looking for patterns?"_

_Suddenly unsure of himself a hurt expression crossed the little boy's face and he leaned back against his mother. "But…but I like patterns."_

"_The little fellow's right you know." _

_Startled, four heads swiveled in the direction of the voice. They had all been so interested in the kites that no one had noticed the man standing next to Charlie and Margaret. Instinctively Margaret pulled the little boy onto her lap, her arms enfolding him protectively while Alan scooted a little closer to their oldest._

"_My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you," the man said noting their movements. He knelt down next to them so that they were all at the same eye level. "My name is Efrem __Beiderman._ _I'm a professor at CalSci." _

_The man was in his late fifties with warm green eyes set behind a pair of wire-rimmed glasses and was dressed casually in jeans, tee shirt and sneakers. He removed his baseball cap so that his face could clearly be seen and graced them with a genuine smile._

_Alan eyed the man closely; he never would have guessed that the stranger was a professor at one of the most prestigious universities in the country but nevertheless he responded politely. "Professor. I'm Alan Eppes and this is my wife Margaret and our sons Don and Charlie." _

"_I didn't mean to ease drop on your conversation but your son's comments about the geometric patterns caught my ear. You see I'm a Professor of Mathematics and I was just amazed that one so young could have developed such a passionate interest in them."_

_Leaning forward the little boy exclaimed excitedly. "You like numbers too?"_

"_Oh, yes indeed, my dear boy, I love working with numbers." He raised a questioning eyebrow to Alan. "Is is okay if I join you?"_

_Alan exchanged a look with Margaret then nodded and offered an explanation. "Ah, when Charlie was three he started multiplying three digit numbers in his head so since then we have special tutors and teachers for him."_

_A look of surprise flitted across the man's face. "Ah…so this is the little boy that has the scientific community in a buzz."_

"_Charlie ruins everything," Donnie thought angrily with a roll of his eyes. "Couldn't they go anywhere without him being the center of attention." Well, he had had enough of it and wanted to talk about the kites some more. "Why was he right?" he asked the man abruptly._

_Caught off guard by the boy's question Beiderman's brows drew together in confusion. "I'm sorry…what?"_

"_Donnie, don't be rude." Margaret corrected her oldest with a disapproving glare._

"_I just wanted to know why he said Charlie was right, that's all." The youngster replied defensively._

"_Oh...yes…yes of course." Beiderman replied enthusiastically. "You see many of these kites were designed by some of the Physics and Engineering professors at CalSci and there is a strong competitive rivalry between them so the winning kite will not only be judged on how well it flies but also on its unique design." His gaze dropped to the wide-eyed little boy sitting in his mother's lap. "Your brother has selected several of the kites that the judges are considering for the winner and I find that I have to agree on his assessment of that box kite. I think that one might be the winner as well."_

_Donnie glanced at his brother and scowled. "Why?"_

_The Professor looked up and pointed out various patterns on the kite. "The designer of this kite created an optical illusion by wrapping a fractal design in the fabric graphics which makes it look like some sort of quilt block creature inhabiting a coral reef. It's really quite clever and extremely complex." Beiderman dropped his gaze and smiled at the youngster._

"_How do you know what kites the judges are going to choose?" Donnie asked suspiciously._

"_Donnie!" Alan admonished his son sternly._

_Dr. Beiderman waved a hand dismissing Alan's concern. "There's nothing wrong with a little curiosity." Chuckling he leaned toward Donnie whispering conspiratorially. "I know because I happen to be one of the judges."_

"_Really?" wide-eyed Donnie whispered back._

Charlie grinned at the memory of Don's jaw dropping then suddenly realized that he had totally forgotten that he had met Dr. Beiderman that day. "Huh?" he huffed in amazement. Years later he had stood in the man's office when he joined the faculty at CalSci.

"Are you the boy genius that everyone says you are?" Beiderman had asked but if the man had recalled that day in the park he didn't mention it. Charlie had worked with the man for ten years before his retirement and during that time the memory had never surfaced…until now. He could only surmise that five year old Tommy and the kites had helped him to recall it.

"Err…ah…Charlie?"

"Hmmm….?" The mathematician replied absently still caught up in the memory then glanced down and hastily apologized. "Sorry Jillian, I was just thinking about something. What did you say?"

Jillian hesitated, looked away, then turned back to face him. "I …ah…was just wondering if you had some pictures of Tom that you could email to me."

"You don't have any pictures of him?" he asked his eyebrows shooting upwards in surprise.

"No," she replied thickly. "When we broke up I was angry and threw them all away but now I have none of his pictures to show to Tommy."

"Right," he nodded knowingly. "Sure, I'll send you all I have."

"Thanks," she said softly as they began to walk again.

"As a matter of fact Amita and I recently found a box of photographs that belonged to Tom. There are photographs of his parents and his friends and lots and lots of pictures of volcanoes." His brown eyes lit up with fond humor. "Tom _loved_ volcanoes. When we were at Princeton the only movies he wanted to watch were the ones about _volcanoes_."

"_Volcanoes_." Jillian said the word at the same time he did and they both laughed out loud. She shook her head in amazement. "He never grew tired of talking about them did he?"

"Never," Charlie agreed emphatically. "Listen, we plan on leaving early tomorrow so if you want to you can stop by tonight and pick up the photographs."

"I'm sure that you'll have a lot to do this evening so I don't want to intrude." She held up a hand to stop his protest. "I like to go for a run in the mornings so if you leave the box on the porch I can pick it up on my way back."

"Okay but if you change your mind feel free to come by and pick them up….deal?"

"Deal," she agreed with a smile.

"**Here's a blast from the past. Bryan Adams's **_**Summer of '69**_**."**

The DJ'S voice blared out over the speakers as they rounded a bend and approached the main section of the park. Sounds that had been muffled by the surrounding trees engulfed them and their attention was diverted to the various activities taking place around them.

A lively game of horseshoes was in progress and the clang of steel hitting steel rang to their right. Suddenly a cheer went up from the onlookers as one of the players got a ringer.

"Bingo, bingo!" The excited yells of a woman drew their attention to the left side of the pathway. A large tent had been set up so that people could sit in the shade and play the game but the side flaps had been left open to allow the breeze to pass through it.

Despite the cacophony of sounds that assailed him Charlie had no difficulty in tuning them out as his thoughts drifted back to Tom. Absently he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets as he strolled along the path and mulled over Jillian's revelation. As he did so, he suddenly realized that he wasn't feeling as tired as he had been earlier and that the heartache of Tom's loss didn't feel quite as heavy as it had before. It was almost as if her news had washed away the worst of the pain that his friend's death had wrought and replaced it with a seed of hope; Tom wasn't completely lost to him after all-a part of him would live on through the life of his son.

The mathematician glanced sideways at Jillian and felt an overpowering sense of gratitude toward her for telling him about Tommy and for giving him the opportunity to be the child's godfather and uncle. He was certain that Tom would have asked him that question had he known about his son and he could just imagine Tom's face alight with pride and joy when he told him about Tommy and asked him to be his godfather. Charlie turned his head and wiped at a stray tear as he thought about it but then a smile spread across his face-his friend had a son.

A part of Charlie's heart was still saddened not only because of Tom's death but also because he had died without knowing of his son's existence but then the overriding joy of knowing that a part of his friend still lived on made his heart soar. Excitedly he scanned the park for his family; his grin broadening when he spotted them at the ice cream table.

"Wait until they hear the news," he chortled silently his steps growing lighter with each footfall.

Jillian seemed to sense his excitement and quickened her steps too. She found his grin contagious and couldn't stop the smile spreading across her own face. When "Kid Rock's _All Summer Long_ began to play they practically danced to its lively tune as they wove their way through the crowded park.

_**00000000000000000**_

Tom scoured the park in his search for Marta. There were so many people wearing red tee shirts that it took him awhile to find her and when he did finally discover where she was it was only because her mother's excited voice shouting "Bingo, bingo," drew his attention towards the Bingo tent.

He slipped into the vacant chair next to the young woman while her mother went up to claim her prize. "Marta, could you talk to someone for me?"

Both the young woman and her father who was seated on the other side of her turned to face him. "I thought you planned to talk to them later?" Her father asked, leaning around Marta so he could see Tom clearer.

"I do," Tom replied shaking his head, "that hasn't changed but I was wondering if Marta could help me talk to someone else…a…a woman that I used to know."

"Of course I will, Tom." Marta answered reassuringly as she pulled her hair back and secured it with a black scrunchie.

The man's brow furrowed. "You don't want us both?"

"No offense," Tom said hastily, "but I think she will respond better if it's just Marta."

"None taken, Tom," the older man replied his eyes drifting from the ghost to the young woman. "This is okay with you, daughter?"

"Do not worry, Papa," she said rising to her feet, eager to help the phantom. "I will be fine. Tell Mama that I will be back shortly."

"Very well," he replied, curiously eyeing the fidgeting ghost. "She must have been someone very special to you."

"She…she was." Tom stammered out as he turned away, unwilling to meet the man's eye. "This…this way, Marta."

Her father followed them with his eyes until they ducked under the flap of the tent and disappeared from view. Lost in thought he was staring at the opening when his wife returned to take her seat. "Where is Marta?"

"She will be back soon," he replied reassuringly. "What did you win?"

"Oooh, look at this," she cried out excitedly pulling a wind chime from a plastic bag. "See it has a picture of Mount St. Helens engraved on the top of it. It will make a fine souvenir of our trip here and I know just where to hang it when we get back home."

"Does that mean I don't have to purchase any more souvenirs?" He asked a teasing glint in his eye.

"Oh, no my dear husband," she chortled, "you still have many more souvenirs to buy before our trip is over.'

Before he could offer a reply the woman in charge announced the beginning of a new game and his wife hurriedly cleared off her card then nudged him with her elbow. "Hurry, clear your card so we can play another game."

"Yes, my dear," he chuckled as he got his card ready. "Perhaps I will win this time."

_**000000000000000**_

"You know I don't recognize half the songs that DJ has been playing." Alan confided to Faye as they made their way over to the ice cream table. They were on their way to relieve Don and the others as well as have a bowl of ice cream themselves.

"I can't say that I disagree with you, Alan." Faye chuckled. "I only recognize a few of the newer ones because my grandsons like to play them all of the time."

"Take this one for instance," Alan said, cocking his ear toward the DJ's table. "I recognize the song…and it's not too bad but I've never heard of the artist."

"You never heard of Kid Rock?" Hank asked with mock surprise as he sidled up next to Alan. "I thought you lived in LA?"

"Humph," Alan huffed, clearly refusing to believe that the sheriff had heard of the singer, "…and I suppose that you have?"

The sheriff tried to keep a straight face but in the end simply shrugged with an abashed grin. "Naw, not really."

"What's this now?" Alan muttered worriedly ignoring the sheriff's answer.

Puzzled, Faye and Hank followed the elder Eppes gaze. Robin, Amita and Larry were clearly following a conversation between Don and another man but it was Don's stance and the grim set of his jaw that warned him that something was up.

"Isn't that Harold Beal?" Faye asked apprehensively wondering what the man could have possibly said to upset Don that way.

"Who is Harold Beal?"Alan wanted to know as their steps brought them closer to the table.

"His daughter is the new doctor in town." Hank responded thoughtfully, studying the group around the table.

They came to an abrupt halt behind Harold Beal just as Don's patience gave out.

"Don't know what?" Don snapped.

"The little boy that was here a few moments ago, my grandson Tommy, is the son of Thomas Hill."

"Tom…Tom had a son?" Faye gasped, clasping her hands to her face.

Harold whirled around noting with dismay the shocked looks on the faces of the people around him. Damn, he wasn't supposed to say anything until Jillian had told Charlie. He turned back to face Don and realized that he had let the "proverbial cat out of the bag"; Jillian was going to kill him. He scrubbed a hand over his bald head and took a deep breath before answering Faye.

"Yes, that's right," he said turning to face Faye. "My grandson is Tom's son."

"If that's true then why didn't Tom tell us….and after…" she turned to Alan, eyes anxiously searching his face, "…after his death why didn't Charlie say something? I mean…he told Charlie everything…right?"

Alan's mouth opened but nothing came out; he was just as shocked as she was and didn't know what to say.

"Charlie couldn't have known," Amita spoke up suddenly in her husband's defense. "If he had known he would have told all of us about it."

"She's right," Don agreed taking a step closer to Beal. "Is that what Jillian is telling him now…that Tommy is Tom's son."

"Yes," the former marine agreed. "She wanted him to be the first to know. That's why we didn't say anything before now… she didn't want him to hear about it from anyone else."

"This doesn't make any sense," Larry exclaimed in a highly skeptical tone, his voice raising several octaves. "Thomas and Charles were as close as brothers and I know for a fact that he would not have kept something as important as this from Charles."

Hank had been silent during the conversation, observing Beal and watching for any telltale signs that the man might be lying but none of the usual ones popped up. "I assume that your daughter has legal proof of her claim?"

Beal's back stiffened up and his eyes flashed angrily. "What are you suggesting Sheriff?"

"I'm not suggesting anything. It's a natural question to ask when you consider that Tom is not here to tell his side of the story." He inclined his head and searched Beal's face. "Even you would have to admit that it's kind of strange that he never told any of us about his son."

Harold stared at him a moment then looked away. It wasn't his story to tell but he knew they had a right to know. He had been a tough marine sergeant for over 40 years and had never backed down from anything but he couldn't bring himself to meet the eyes of the people who had been so close to Tom. The man had been wronged, there was no getting away from that, but his daughter had not done it out of malice but out of fear of rejection.

The marine sighed heavily then raised is head his eyes flitting from face to face as he spoke. "Tom …Tom never told you ….."

"Because Tom didn't know that he had a son." Jillian finished the sentence for him; she and Charlie had arrived unnoticed just as her father was about to tell them. She left Charlie's side to join her father. "Thanks, Dad but I'll take it from here."

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

_Seasons_

_By_

_1__st__ Endeavor_

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: Sniper Zero

A/N: I truly appreciate your reviews.

Chapter 16:

…**and here's one from the Kings vault-Elvis Presley's "**_**It's Now or Never**_**."**

A few cheers erupted from a small crowd surrounding the DJ's table but his words and the song went unnoticed by the nine people standing around the ice cream table.

Charlie searched the stunned faces of his family and friends and knew from their expressions that they were experiencing the same shock that he had felt no more than a half an hour earlier. It was as if Jillian's announcement had turned everyone to stone; mouths were opened but no sounds were forth coming.

The mathematician quietly moved around the table and sidled up next to his wife. He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her close then kissed her lightly on the lips when she graced him with a bewildered look. "It's okay," he whispered in her ear then cleared his throat and caught Jillian's eye.

"Jillian, I'd like you to meet my wife Amita." At her greeting he pointed out the other members of his family. "This is my brother, Don and his fiancée, Robin Brooks. That tall man standing to your left is my father, Alan," he said with a nod toward his father then clapped a hand on Larry's shoulder, "…and you should remember this good fellow from your days at Princeton, Professor Lawrence Fleinhardt."

"Professor Fleinhardt," Jillian exclaimed cheerfully. "It's so good to see you again. You're Physics class was one of the most memorable ones from all my years at Princeton."

"I'm sorry," Larry apologized, shaking his head "Please forgive an old man's failing memory but I….."

"I think a lot of us felt that Larry's class was the high light of our time at Princeton," Charlie intervened coming to his friend's rescue. "Everyone, this is Jillian Beal, she and Tom were engaged during their senior year at Princeton."

"Charlie, I can't recall that you told your mother and me about Tom's engagement." Alan said his brow furrowing.

"Me either," Don piped up gracing his brother with an accusatory stare.

"Hey," Charlie cried defensively. "I had just gotten my Masters from MIT and was on my way to England when I stopped by Princeton for Tom's graduation and that's when I found out about it and you," he said pointing a finger at his brother, "were on your way to join the Stockton Rangers so don't be giving me any grief about not telling you about it. Besides," he added with a shrug, "it was a long time ago and to be honest with you I sort of forgot about it."

"Engaged," Larry repeated tapping his lips with a finger as he thoughtfully studied her face then suddenly a look of recognition crossed his features, "Of course, I remember you now and to be more precise you became engaged a couple of months before your graduation." His brow furrowed. "By the way, whatever happened with that?"

"A long time ago," Faye murmured softly before Jillian could answer; catching the young woman's eye with a puzzled look on her face. "But Tommy is only five years old how….?"

"Err…ah…could we get some ice cream please?"A man's voice brought them all vividly back to their surroundings.

Startled and embarrassed everyone turned in the direction of the voice and we're shocked to find a number of people lined up for ice cream.

"Oh, dear," Larry muttered; hurriedly taking a position behind the table.

"Ah, what kind of ice cream would you like?" Amita asked, motioning quickly for her husband to open up the ice cream freezer behind them.

"I'll have a cup of chocolate and my son wants a cone of mint chocolate chip."

"Certainly," she said with a smile. She and Larry dipped out the ice cream and moved on to the next person in line.

"We need to talk," Faye muttered under her breath. "I'll find someone else to relieve them and then we can all go somewhere to talk about this."

"Might I suggest our picnic table?" Alan said pointing to the cement table on the hillside where they had put their things. "It's large enough to seat twelve and we have lawn chairs too."

Faye hurried off but returned a few minutes later with two middle-aged women in tow then waved for Charlie, Amita and Larry to let the ladies take over for them.

"Dad, where are Mom and Tommy?"

Harold pointed to a table off to their right. "Tommy wanted to get his face painted so Mom took him over." Narrowing his eyes he zeroed in on his wife and grandson. "There they are….the artist is painting his face now." Beal turned to his daughter. "Want me to go get'm."

Jillian shook her head; eyes locked on her son. "That won't be necessary, Dad. It looks like she was just putting on the finishing touches because they're on their way over." Sure enough the cries of "mommy, mommy," could be heard amid the multitude of sounds surrounding them. Suddenly a small figure burst through the crowd brandishing a small plastic sword in the air; a black eye patch had been painted around his right eye and a black scar complete with stitches decorated his left cheek. He also sported a thin black handlebar moustache as well as a black goatee and was wearing a red bandana wrapped around his forehead.

Smiles spread across the faces of the nine adults as Jillian dropped to one knee to greet her son; making a concerted effort to keep a straight face as she played along with him.

Trying to put on a scary face five year old Tommy planted his feet firmly on the ground in front of his Mother and cried. "Arghhh!"

Ahoy, matey," Jillian responded making her voice as deep as she could.

"Arghhh, ahoy." Tommy growled menacingly.

Harold bent down to face his grandson; squinting with one eye he pretended to be a pirate. "Yer after me booty agin ye scallawag?"

Tommy shook his head vigorously and raised his sword in the air. "Aye, give me all yer dabloons or I'll run ye thru, arghhh."

"Ye be a fierce un, that's fer sure but ye took me chest o gold the last time so I'm begging ye not to run me thru, arghhh."

Tommy narrowed his eyes studying him for a moment then simply shrugged. "Okay, pop pop."He turned to his Mom with a grin. "Look Mommy, I'm a real pirate."

"Yes you are," Jillian agreed, scooping him up in her arms as she rose to her feet.

"Isn't he adorable?" Grace asked, sidling up beside her daughter.

"Mom mom," Tommy whined frowning as he struggled to get down. "Pirates arn't supps'd to be a…adrble."

"Sorry dear," Grace replied ruffling his hair. "I don't know what came over me."

Jillian shared a smile with her as she set Tommy back on the ground then introduced her Mother to everyone. "We're all going over to their picnic table so we can discuss a few things."

"Hey, Tommy, want to race me to that picnic table over there."Harold said pointing toward the table.

"Ok, Pop pop." The little boy replied excitedly getting into position by putting his right foot forward and waiting for his grandfather to give the signal.

"Okay, get ready. One, two…..hey wait, I didn't yell three yet." Harold called out racing to catch up to his grandson.

"I swear it's like having two kids when your father is around that little boy." Grace tisked in amusement as they walked at a slower pace behind them.

"I should be so lucky," Alan muttered sarcastically his head swiveling around to grace his sons with an accusing glare.

"Oh, boy," Charlie mumbled. The brothers had long ago adopted the policy of "everyman for himself" when Alan would bring up the subject of grandchildren so with that in mind he grabbed Amita's hand and dropped back behind Don and Robin.

"Hey," Don exclaimed knowing full well what his younger brother was up too. "Where do you think you're going?"

"What?" Charlie asked innocently."You are the oldest…right?"

Alan tapped Don on the shoulder then waited for him to turn back around. "Charlie does have a point you know." He said then fell into step with Faye and Hank.

"Yeah, yeah," Don muttered under his breath. "Keep it up, Chuck," he growled in response to the muffled laughter coming from behind him.

0000000000000000

Marta and Tom watched the group settle down at the picnic table.

"You wanted me to talk to her alone, right?"

Tom nodded his head." Yes. I guess I should have waited before I brought you over here. Look if you want to go back with your family I'll come and get you when she is alone."

"Oh, that's okay," she replied with a shrug. "I was tired of playing bingo anyway but I do want to check out the craft tables so just let me know when it's time." At his nod she wandered off into the crowd.

Tom sighed heavily; there was so much that he wanted to tell Jillian. His eyes drifted over to the table then unbidden his feet began to walk in their direction. A little to the right of the table Grace and Harold were keeping Tommy busy by playing pirate with him. The spirit stared longingly at his son; had he been alone Tom would have sat down with him again but since the boys grandparents were there he decided to join the others at the table. He passed through the happy crowd unnoticed and made his way over to the picnic table arriving just as Jillian finished telling her story.

"Charlie said that he found a box of photographs at Tom's place so I'm hoping that Tom didn't throw all of our pictures away…the way that I foolishly did." Fresh tears coated her eyelashes and she paused to pull a tissue from her pocket.

"Oh you poor, dear," Faye said wiping at her own tears. "Do you mean to say that you don't have a single picture of you and Tom together?"

"That's so sad," Robin said quietly pulling a tissue from her own pocket to dab at her eyes.

"No, not a single one." Jillian shook her head then suddenly turned her gaze on Charlie and Amita with a hopeful glint in her eyes. "Do you remember seeing any pictures of me and Tom together? My hair would have been a lot longer back then."

I'm sorry," Charlie said quietly, unshed tears glistening in his dark expressive eyes. "I don't recall seeing any but," he glanced at Amita for support, "but it's possible that we could have missed them."

"He's right," Amita hastily added. "I'm not even sure that we finished looking at all of the pictures anyway."

Jillian's eyes drifted from her face to Charlie's and realized what they were trying to do. "That's okay; I couldn't blame him for throwing them all away." She sighed sadly. "It would have been too much to hope for anyway."

No one was sure what to say next so a silence fell between them then there was almost a collective sigh of relief when the DJ's voice drew their attention.

"…**and that was Cyndi Lauper's "Girls**_** Just Want to Have Fun". **_** I've been asked to remind everyone that the barbecue chicken will be ready by 4:30. The members of the Castle Rock Volunteer Fire Dept had been working diligently all afternoon cooking the chicken over a large barbecue pit. Now, I don't know about the rest of you folks but that enticing aroma has had me drooling most of the afternoon and I am s**_**ooooo**_** looking forward to having some of it for dinner. Now if everyone would turn their attention to the podium the mayor would like to make an announcement. "**

People all around the park turned to face the podium as once again Jason Haldor stepped up to the microphone.

"**Ladies and gentlemen I will try to make this short. The day is winding down so before you all start heading home I just wanted to thank you for making the first Thomas Hill Fair a success. Your participation and generosity just proves something that I have long been aware of and that is that the people of Castle Rock are some of the most caring and generous people found in the world today." Haldor paused as a round of cheers and applause resounded around the park. "Let's all give a round of applause to David Miller," he waved a hand toward the DJ's table," for donating his time today and providing us with some excellent tunes. I'd also like to thank the Red and Blue team captains for providing us with a very exciting ball game and I sincerely hope that the Eppes team will consider returning next year to give our local team a chance to get even." A rousing hand of applause followed as he grinned and waved at Don and Hank then added with a chuckle. "I know for a fact that Hank is just itching for a rematch." Laughter erupted from his remark so he took advantage of the opportunity to take a sip of water.**

"**I also want to remind you that there are still a few activities left before the fair comes to a close." He glanced down at a piece of paper in his hand. "It's not too late to sign up for the three-legged race or to purchase that raffle ticket before the drawing at 5:30. There is still a lot of food left and as David reminded us earlier the chicken is almost ready. Please enjoy the rest of the day and once again let me say thank-you for participating today."**

The mayor left the podium to another round of applause and rejoined his family while everyone else returned to what they were doing.

"**Let's start our last hour with the 1985 classic of **_**The Power of Love**_** by Huey Lewis and the News," Miller announced getting back to business.**

**_It don't take money and it don't take fame  
>Don't need no credit card to ride this train<br>Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel  
>You won't feel nothin' till you feel<br>You feel the power, just the power of love_**  
><strong><em>That's the power, that's the power of love<br>You feel the power of love__  
><em>_You feel the power of love  
>Feel the power of love<em>**

"How about it, Don?" Hank asked nudging the agent with his elbow. "Will you guys come back next year for a rematch?"

Don rubbed his sore shoulder and glanced sideways at the sheriff. "I don't know about that." His eyes drifted across the table to his brother. "What do you think, Charlie?"

Noting the teasing tone in his brother's voice the mathematician grinned and played along. "I suppose you could count me in."

"Don?" Hank asked anxiously turning to face the agent. "How about you?"

"Well," Don sighed, stretching out his answer. "I guess I could come back too."

"Awesome," Hank chortled slapping the agent hard enough on the back to make him wince. "Only next year we don't hike the day before the game-that gave you an edge today."

"Hey," Don grunted in disagreement peering over the tops of his sunglasses at the sheriff. "That excuse isn't going to fly, pal-we were on that hike too….remember?

"Yeah, yeah," Hank grumbled good-naturedly then broke into laughter as everyone at the table began to laugh at his embarrassment.

Suddenly a child's cry erupted and all heads swiveled toward Howard and Grace as they carried their crying grandson over to the table.

"He bumped his knee," Grace told her daughter, lowering him into her outstretched arms. "I think that he's getting tired, dear."

Jillian kissed her son on the forehead then checked out his knee. "It's just a little scratch," she told him then glanced up at her Mom. "I think you're right-we should probably go soon."

"Aren't you going to stay and have dinner?' Faye asked disappointed that they were leaving.

"I don't think so," Jillian replied glancing around the table. "Tommy missed his nap today and he can get pretty grouchy when he gets tired so it's probably best if we take him home and put him to bed." She hesitated then added. "Thank you all for being so understanding and accepting me despite the mistakes that I made with Tom."

"I'll admit that when you first told me what you had done I was very angry with you but after hearing your story it's made me realize that no matter how much that I loved Tom it still doesn't give me the right to judge you." Faye leaned forward and patted her arm. "We all make mistakes dear but you can't let them rule your life."

"It's what we learn from our mistakes that make us a better person." Alan said softly."You could have kept the truth hidden, lived here without letting everyone know who Tommy is but for his sake you chose to let the truth be known- that wasn't an easy thing to do."

"I have to admit that it was one of the hardest things that I have ever done but I'm glad I did it." She bent her head and whispered something in her son's ear. The little boy perked up, shook his head vigorously then climbed off her lap.

"I look forward to your friendship and our new life here." Jillian said rising to her feet; taking Tommy's hand in hers she led him around the table until they came to the mathematician. "I can't thank you enough for your kind words, Charlie. They really mean a lot to me."

"I'm glad I could help," Charlie said rising to his feet.

"Can we go see them now, Mommy," Tommy asked tugging on Jillian's shirt.

"Just a minute," Jillian answered then grinned at Charlie's questioning gaze. "I told him that we were going to see the pirate kite." Her eyes drifted back to her son. "Tommy, say good-bye to your Uncle Charlie."

"I like that," Charlie said kneeling down on one knee so the little boy could give him a hug."Bye, Tommy."

"Hey," Amita said kneeling down next to her husband. "If he's your Uncle Charlie then I'm your Aunt Amita. Can I have a hug too?"

"Kay," the little boy replied and immediately gave her a hug.

"I hope we'll get to see you the next time you come up to visit." Jillian said taking her son's hand.

"We'll look forward to it," Charlie replied as he and Amita stood up.

Harold, Grace, Jillian and the little boy waved their good-byes to everyone and headed for the other side of the park; unnoticed by everyone but Tommy the ghost off his father trailed along behind them.

"Alan, we need to get the side dishes ready." Faye said getting up."Everyone will start lining up for the chicken dinners soon."

"Right," the elder Eppes replied rising to his feet but as he stepped around the table he paused by Charlie's side.

"Uncle huh?" Alan asked his youngest, a teasing glint in his eye. "_Sooo_ does that mean that I get to be sort of a surrogate grandfather?"

Caught by surprise Charlie's brows disappeared beneath his curls but before he could comment Faye spoke up.

"Seriously," she tisked her eyes flitting over Don and Robin then Charlie and Amita. "You four need to get busy and give this man some grandchildren." Without waiting for any further comments she and Alan vanished into the crowd.

A stunned silence followed their departure then Amita said in a slightly bewildered tone. "I…I….can't believe that she just said that."

Charlie rolled his eyes and met his brother's gaze. "Faye's been spending way too much time with Dad."

"Ya think," Don huffed with a shake of his head.

Hank chuckled then stood up. "I've got to find Emily and tell her the news. Catch you guys later."

A chorus of "See you latter's" followed the sheriff as he hurried away then Don turned to face his brother as he and Amita sat down across from him.

"You're accepting Jillian's story pretty quickly aren't you, buddy?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "You don't?"

"It sounds plausible enough but I think the legality of her claim should be checked out before any decision is made and quite frankly I'm surprised that you, of all people, would accept it as truth without any proof."

"I know that little boy is Tom's son, Don." Charlie said quietly.

"How?" Don demanded, surprised by his answer. "What proof could you possibly have that Jillian didn't make this up to gain access to Tom's assets?" His eyes widened suddenly and he snapped his fingers, a triumphant grin on his face. "Better yet what empirical evidence do you have that brings you to that conclusion? That is the term that you like to use, isn't it?"

"That is the term," Charlie murmured with a sigh; scratching his chin thoughtfully he studied his brother's face before answering. "I knew the boy was Tom's son before Jillian told me who his father was."

An incredulous look crossed Don's features. "What? How…?"

Charlie raised his hand to stop his brother's protest. "That empirical evidence you asked about can be found in Tommy's eyes," his voice became thick with emotion and his eyes darted away then back again. "It can be found in the shape of his face, the color of his hair and in his facial expressions. When I first saw him it was like I was seeing bits and pieces of Tom in someone else's face and then when she told me all of the pieces suddenly fit together." His voice choked and he looked away.

"Oh, Charlie," Amita whispered taking his hand in hers.

Charlie looked into her eyes and squeezed her hand tightly. "I'm fine…really. " He eyes flitted to his brother. "Of course the legal aspects will be checked out but I already know what they will reveal."

"Come on, Charlie," Don retorted skeptically. "There's no way you can know that for sure."

"I can't explain it, "Charlie continued, "but I feel like a part of Tom is still here and that I have a chance to be a friend to his son in the same way that he was there for me."

Listening intently, Larry leaned forward; resting his elbows on the tables he clasped his hands together and tapped his lips thoughtfully. "Charles, it seems like a lifetime ago when I said this but I once told you that children are wormholes. They're portals into the unreachable future and unattainable past."

"Wormholes?" Don asked incredulously sharing a grin with Robin but their smiles faded quickly at Charlie's next words.

"Amita and I reacted the same way the first time Larry shared that particular piece of wisdom with us." He smiled sadly, eyes darting to his wife then back to Larry. "I…I didn't get it then but I do get it now. You are a very wise man, Professor Fleinhardt."

00000000000000

Jillian stood in front of Tom's plaque watching Tommy trace the bas relief sculpture of Tom with his small fingers. They had just finished watching the kites and she had brought Tommy over for another look while her Mom and Dad gathered their things and took them to the car.

"Daddy," the little boy said pointing in front of him.

"Yes, baby," she said sadly, "that is a picture of your daddy." Suddenly her brows drew together in puzzlement and she sank to the ground next to her son. "Did Mom mom and Pop pop tell you that was a picture of your daddy?"

"Children can see many things that are lost to an adult's eyes." A woman's voice intoned softly.

Caught by surprise Jillian tilted her head upwards. "I'm sorry…what did you say?" She cast a quick look around her; there were still a lot of people in the park so she wasn't alone …why was she suddenly afraid?

"My apologies," the young woman said kneeling down next to her. "I didn't mean to startle you. Let me start over….my name is Marta."

Jillian gazed into the woman's warm hazel eyes and relaxed her guard. "My name is Jillian and this is my son Tommy." She shook the girl's hand then her forehead wrinkled as she tried to remember what the woman had said. "What were you saying before…I …I didn't quite get that."

Marta hesitated, trying to gauge how Jillian would react to her next words; would she stay and listen or take her child and storm away angrily. Finally she sighed, prepared to accept rejection; it was never easy.

"When your son said "daddy" he wasn't pointing at the bas relief on the plaque but at the spirit sitting in front of him."

"Spirit?" Jillian exclaimed glancing at the empty space in front of Tommy then her eyes darted back to the stranger, a suspicious look growing in her eyes. "What is this about….what are you saying?"

"I…I have a gift," Marta said taking a deep breath. "Ever since I was a child I have had the ability to see ghosts…to see the spirits of the dead."

"This is ridiculous!"Jillian exclaimed starting to rise to her feet.

Marta placed a hand on her shoulder halting her ascension. "Is it? Ask your son to point to his father?"

"What?"

"Ask him," the medium insisted forcefully, "but this time really look at where his finger is pointing."

Jillian met the woman's fierce stare then looked away overwhelmed by her statement. She swallowed hard, her mind and heart racing as Marta's words whirled through her mind. "_It wasn't possible….was it?"_

"Tom is dead." She whispered in a harsher tone than she intended.

"Yes, Thomas Hill is dead," Marta agreed softly, "but his spirit is still earth-bound; he has yet to cross-over."

"Cross-over?"

"He has not stepped into the light."

"Light? I …I don't understand." Jillian said her eyes dark with confusion.

"Sometimes when a person dies suddenly his spirit is not ready to let go." She waved her hand toward the empty space in front of Tommy. "Thomas Hill's spirit has unfinished business that he must attend too before he can pass into the light…before he can find the peace that he seeks."

"I'm…I'm unfinished business?" Jillian swallowed hard suddenly sickened with dread and fear. _"What if Tom hated her for not telling him about his son?"_

"Yes," Marta replied gently. "You, Charles Eppes and his brother Don."

"Charlie and Don too?" she asked in bewilderment.

"Yes but he will deal with them later. Right now he wishes to speak to you." She shifted her position to get more comfortable and sat down on the ground Indian style.

Tommy suddenly giggled drawing their attention; the little boy was repeatedly dropping his rock to the ground. Jillian tilted her head thoughtfully; it was the same game that he had been playing at the playground.

"Tommy…sweetie," she asked tentatively placing a trembling hand on his arm. "What are you doing?"

"Playing my rock game."

Jillian's throat was suddenly dry. "Who are you playing with?"

"Daddy," he said simply, giggling again as his rock fell to the ground. "Look, Mommy, its magic."

"Magic?"

"Tom is playing a game with his son," Marta said grinning when Tommy laughed again. "He is holding his hand out, palm upward so that when Tommy drops the rock it passes right through his hand. He has told his son that it is magic."

Wide-eyed Jillian clasped her hands over her mouth then slowly turned to face Marta. "Why can Tommy see him but I can't."

"None one knows for sure why small children can see spirits but adults cannot. Some believe it is because their minds are still open and have not yet been exposed to the negativity surrounding the paranormal world."

"But you can still see them?"

"Yes, the ability to see the spirits has been passed from generation to generation in my family."

"You're not frightened by them?"

Marta shook her head. "No. I feel it is my duty to help them."

Finally convinced Jillian's eyes drifted back to the open space in front of Tommy and in an almost inaudible voice whispered. "Could you tell him that I'm sorry?"

Marta rose to her knees and gently put her arm around the young woman's trembling shoulders. "You can tell him yourself…he can see and hear everything you do or say."

Jillian nodded numbly then whispered brokenly, "I'm so sorry Tom. I wanted to tell you about Tommy but I …I was afraid."

_Tom slid across the ground until he was sitting right in front of her. "Its might fault too, Jillian. I didn't return your calls because I still loved you and was afraid of being hurt again." He glanced at Marta. "Could you tell her what I said?"_

"Of course." She turned to Jillian. "He wants you to know that you are not the only one to blame…that it was as much his fault as yours because he didn't return your calls. He said that he still loved you and was afraid of being hurt again." Marta suddenly turned her head as if she was listening to someone.

"_Tell her that I was with Charlie when she explained everything to him so I heard the whole story and…and that I told Tommy that I was his father."_

"He wants you to know that he was with Charlie when you told him what happened and that he was the one who told Tommy that he was his father."

Tears spilled down Jillian's cheeks as she listened; squeezing her eyes shut she took a deep, trembling breath and asked the question that she desperately needed an answer too. "Can you ever forgive me for not telling you about Tommy?"

_Ghostly tears fell from Tom's eyes as he gazed into Jillian's tear-filled ones; how could he have been such a fool to not see in life what was so clear to him in death. Neither of them had stopped loving the other but both had been too afraid of rejection to try and get back together again…..and for that mistake they would be eternally apart. Forgive her? Of course he could…with all of his heart and soul._

"_Tell her..." his voice choked, "tell her that I still love her….and yes…I forgive her with all my heart and soul."_

Marta nodded, clearing her throat as her own eyes began to well up with tears

Holding her breath Jillian turned to face the medium with an expression of fear and hope on her face.

"Tom wants you to know that he still loves you," she paused to swallow, her voice thick with emotion, "and he wants you to know that he forgives you with all of his heart and soul."

"Oh, Tom," Jillian sobbed, releasing a tremulous breath. "I still love you too. Thank you, my darling for forgiving me."

"_Tell her that I appreciate what she is doing by moving to Castle Rock and giving Tommy the chance to learn about me but I want her to promise that she will move on and not live in the past. She has her whole life ahead of her and I don't want her to be alone. If she meets another man that she can love I want her to give him a chance." _

Marta nodded, wiping at her own tears. "Tom wants you to know that he's glad that you've decided to move to Castle Rock so that Tommy could learn all about him but he wants you to promise that you will move on with your life. He doesn't want you to live in the past or to live your life alone so if you should meet someone new then he wants you to follow your heart."

"He really said that?"

"Yes he did. He wants you and Tommy to be happy."

_Tom gently placed a kiss on Jillian's cheek then leaned over to kiss his son on the top of his head; It was time to go, there was nothing more to be said and he had another matter to attend to before he could cross over into the light._

"Daddy," the little boy cried and tilted his head upward as Tom rose to his feet.

"_Tell her…tell her that I am leaving now….that there is something else that I must do… but that I will always love them both."_

"He is leaving now," Marta said rising to her feet.

Jillian stood up quickly. "No…wait," she cried. "Why is he leaving…why does he have to go?"

Marta tried to calm her down. "There is something else that he must do but he wants you to know that he will always love you and Tommy."

Jillian's head swiveled in all directions trying to see Tom's ghost. "No…make him stay?" she pleaded desperately.

Marta sighed heavily, patting the distraught woman on the shoulder. "He cannot stay, Jillian. He has told you what he needed you to know."

_Tom had not expected Jillian's reaction; her desperation tore at his heart…she truly did still love him. He sighed heavily; there was nothing that he could do to console her….or was there? Tom stepped closer to Marta and whispered in her ear then with a soft smile on his face and tears in his eyes he spun around on his heel and walked away._

Marta grasped Jillian's hand then waited for her to look up. "He is no longer here but before he left he told me to tell you that you should find the photograph of him and Charlie that is setting on the table with the other pictures from the hike. Behind their picture you will find that which you are seeking." The medium smiled then released her hand.

"Thank you," Jillian whispered passionately then turned around when she heard her father call out her name. When she glanced back Marta had disappeared into the crowd.

"Here you are, dear," Grace exclaimed as she and Harold joined Jillian beside the plaque. "We've been looking everywhere for you."

"Arrrgh, I've got you now you little scalawag," Harold exclaimed, picking up his grandson and placing him on his shoulders.

"Arrrgh, "Tommy squealed with delight brandishing his toy sword over his head.

Grace rolled her eyes and shared a grin with her daughter. "Kids," she tisked then grew more somber. "Are you alright, dear?"

"I'm fine now Mom," Jillian replied her thoughts racing as she remembered Marta's last words."Ah…listen, there's something I need to do. It won't take me long so you could guys take Tommy back to the car. I...I...promise it won't take too long."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Grace asked worriedly, suddenly fearful for her daughter's well-being.

"I'm fine Mom. Please go. I'll join you in a few minutes."

"Okay then. We'll meet you there."Harold said and they headed off toward the parking lot.

Jillian didn't waste a second but took off at a run desperately weaving her way in and around clusters of people. She spotted the picture as soon as the table came into view and urged her feet to move even faster. She grabbed the picture as soon as she was close enough and breathlessly turned the frame over. Her fingers felt numb as she removed the back panel and pulled out a thin piece of cardboard. Another piece of cardboard followed that one until all she could see was the back of Tom and Charlie's photograph. Her heart dropped-had it all been a lie? She glanced down again and realized that she was looking at the back of a smaller picture instead of the one in the frame. With trembling fingers she lifted it up and slowly turned it over. Jillian gasped; it was true-she really had talked to Tom's ghost. He still loved her and had truly forgiven her. She ran her fingers lovingly over the photograph; her eyes taking on a distant look as she recalled the day the picture had been taken. They were smiling and sitting at a table in a French restaurant where they had gone to celebrate their engagement. Tom had asked the waiter to take their picture so that they could always remember how happy they were on that day.

Jillian stared at the picture and whispered. "Thank you, Tom. Thank you for everything." She wiped fresh tears from her face then put the picture frame back together again. As Jillian set it up again and turned to leave it felt as if heaviness had suddenly been lifted from her heart.

She clutched the picture tightly in her hands as she hurried toward the parking lot; her steps growing lighter with each step then her mood improved even more as she approached the DJ's table and he began to play one of her favorite songs.

"…**and here's a lively tune, the Plain White T's "Rhythm of Love." **

**_And long after I've gone,  
>You'll still be humming along...<br>And I will keep you in my mind,  
><em>We may only have tonight...**  
><strong>But 'til the morning sun,<strong>  
><strong>You're mine.<strong>  
><strong>All mine~<em>The way you make love so fine~<em>**

**Play the music low...**  
><strong>And swing to the <em>rhythm of love<em>~**

By the time the parking lot came into view Jillian was smiling and humming along with the song; the picture clutched tightly to her breast.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: Mind Games, Trouble in Chinatown

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 17:

"That is so amazing, Charlie," Amita said, focusing on the dragon kite as the mathematician finished telling his wife, Don and Robin about the forgotten memory of meeting his predecessor at CalSci. Charlie had mentioned the kites to them and they had decided to take a walk over to check them out.

His wife dropped her gaze. "Imagine meeting Dr. Beiderman when you were five years old then not recalling it until decades later."

"I know," Charlie simply replied staring up at the numerous kites floating above them. He shrugged and glanced at her with a lopsided grin on his face. "I think Larry would say cosmologically speaking everything that happens has happened before."

Amita grinned, nodding her head before she glanced upward again.

Robin hooked her arms around Don's arm and leaned against him. "Do you remember it, Don?"

"No," Don answered squinting up at the sky. "That was a _long, long_ time ago… although I kinda remember the dragon kite."

"Did it look like that one?"

"I don't remember….maybe. I think this one might be a little larger and it has a longer reptilian body than the one I remember but its wing span might be the same. " Don glanced sideways at this brother."What do you think, Chuck? Are they the same?"

"Dude," Charlie exclaimed incredulously. "I was five years old…I don't remember what the kite looked like."

"Dude," Don mimicked him pulling down his sunglasses and staring at his brother over the rims. "You don't remember the kite but you can remember Beiderman?"

"Well, yeah," Charlie huffed in defense, "that's different."

"Right," Don tisked pushing his glasses back up then lifted his nose in the air as an enticing aroma wafted through the park. "Hmmm….isn't time that we got in line for that chicken dinner?"

"I can't argue with that logic, bro," Charlie chuckled then offered everyone an apologetic grin as his stomach growled to support his comment. "Did we even have lunch?"

"Of course we had lunch," Amita replied laughingly, "but that was before the ball game, remember?"

"That explains it then. I burned up all of my energy during the game."

Robin's eyes lit up mischievously. "That theory would work professor except that you've forgotten the large bowls of ice cream that we consumed."

Charlie shook his head. "You may have had some ice cream but I didn't"

"That's right," Don nodded becoming serious for a moment. "You were a little preoccupied, huh?" He pushed away his somber mood with a deep sigh and slapped his brother on the shoulder. "It's been a day of revelations', bro." His gazed drifted to Robin and Amita. "What da'ya say that we get this guy some food before he falls down?"

"Do you think he needs some support?" Robin giggled as the foursome started forward.

Don grinned and glanced at his brother just as his wife put an arm around his waist." Naw, I think Amita's got that covered."

"Ow," Robin exclaimed as she took another step then paused to rub her leg. "It's going to take me a week to recover from yesterday's hike and the ballgame today."

"You," Don huffed as he rubbed his shoulder. "It'll be weeks before my shoulder is back to normal."

This prompted an in depth comparison of their injuries as each one attempted to prove that their own aches and pains were more dire than the others. Their casual walk back was occasionally halted as one of them would exaggerate their particular pain and they would have to stop and rub the offending limb to demonstrate how much agony they were in which only prompted the other three to protest even louder. Good-natured insults would follow then all would burst into laughter as they started walking again. Both couples were enjoying the lighthearted mood and the warm summer day so much that they were in no hurry to get to the other side of the Park.

As the foursome rounded a bend the main park and parking lot came into view just as the last strains of the Plain White T's _Rhythm of Love _played out over the DJ's speakers.

Charlie…oh…Charlie!"

Four heads swiveled toward the parking lot as Jillian breathlessly ran toward them. She stumbled to a halt in front of them and thrust a photograph toward the surprised mathematician.

"Look," she exclaimed her eyes bright with excitement.

Charlie's eyebrows shot up in mild surprise as he gazed at the picture. "Jillian this is wonderful but I thought you said that you didn't have any pictures left of you and Tom together." He held the picture so the other three could see it then returned it to the excited woman.

Jillian shook her head vigorously fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't but Tom did…he…he saved this one." She glanced briefly at the picture in her hands then gazed deeply into Charlie's brown eyes. "I found it hidden behind the picture of the two of you…the one setting on the main table. Don't you see, Charlie? This means that Tom did still love me."

Ever the district attorney, Robin tapped the woman gently on the shoulder. "Jillian, I'm confused. If you haven't seen Tom for five years how did you know to check behind the photograph?"

The young woman's eyes darted aside then flitted across each of their faces before settling on Charlie's. "I know this is going to sound strange but…but Tom told me where to find the picture." Jillian held her breath; watching the foursome exchange looks of disbelief before turning to ones of empathy and sorrow. "Look…I…I know how this must sound but it's the truth."

Charlie nervously ran his fingers over his lips as he studied her; the woman had truly lost it. "Tom told you where to find it? You talked to Tom's ghost?"

She shook her head gazing downward. "Well… not directly of course…I mean…he is dead, isn't he?" Her head snapped up suddenly her eyes bright with excitement once again "Although Tommy did…he could see and hear him but it was the medium that told me what he had to say."

"Oh, Jillian," Charlie groaned squeezing his eyes shut. He opened them and glanced at his brother. "That's just great…there's some "so called" psychic here and he's preying on Tom's friends." The mathematician took a deep breath and faced the young woman again. "Look, Jillian, many theories exist about the nature of ghosts but none are proven and all are unsupported by science."

"I don't know about that, Charlie," Don said glancing sideways at Jillian, "maybe you should hear the rest of her story before you jump to any conclusions."

"Fine," Charlie said abruptly crossing his arms. "What did this medium tell you and what did you mean when you said that Tommy could see and talk to him?"

"Charlie, do you remember how Tommy was acting when we were over at the playground?" Jillian asked taking a step closer to him. "He was acting like he was talking to someone….remember?"

The mathematician shrugged his shoulders. "So? Kids play by themselves all of the time….they use their imaginations."

"Not this time," she replied confidently. "He was talking to Tom….I know it." Jillian pointed toward the plaque. "A little while ago Tommy and I were standing over there and he squatted down and pointed to the bas relief carving of Tom and said "Daddy." She shook her head as she made her point. "I've never told my son that Tom is his father so how did he know?"

"Jillian," Charlie sighed sadly, "he probably heard you tell me."

"No," she argued passionately," he was playing at the end of the bench, remember? We were speaking low and he was too far away to hear us. Anyway that was when the medium showed up and asked Tommy to point to his father…and Tommy pointed to the empty space in front of him instead of the plaque. Tom's ghost was right there….I know it!" Jillian held up her hand to forestall any further comments. "Listen to me. She told me things that only Tom could have known." The young woman smiled as a tear ran down her cheek. "He still loves me Charlie and he forgave me for not telling him about Tommy and…and he said that he was at fault too for not returning my calls…then he said to check behind your picture and that I would find what I've been looking for…..and….and it was there." She held the photograph up in front of her and shook it to stress her point. "This is proof that he was there."

Charlie rubbed his forehead tiredly and looked away. His path had crossed with a few so called psychics, Simon Kraft in particular, and he held a very dim view of them but he was at a loss on how to convince Jillian that this medium was a fake.

"Look," Jillian said earnestly grasping both of his hands in hers, "I know you don't believe me but it is true." She searched his eyes. "Charlie, Tom wanted me to know that it was okay for me to get on with my life and he wants you to do the same. Promise me that no matter what happens today you will try and keep an open mind…please?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Don asked suspiciously his FBI senses flaring up.

Jillian glanced at him. "Both of you need to keep an open mind." She released Charlie's hands and stepped back. "I have to go now, Mom and Dad are waiting." Jillian eyes flickered over the foursome. "It was a pleasure meeting all of you."

The young woman turned to leave then paused turning sideways so she could meet Charlie's eyes. "Please remember what I've said." Jillian pleaded then pivoted on her heel and hurried away.

The foursome followed her progress until she was out of sight then as one they gave a collective sigh and slowly began to walk again.

"That poor woman," Robin said quietly, looping her arm through Don's again.

"Living with all of that guilt. " Amita murmured softly, gripping Charlie's hand tightly. "It's no wonder that she's a little unstable."

Robin glanced at Don."Do you think she'll be all right?"

"Maybe she just needs a little time to get herself together." The agent replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "When she opens her practice she will be kept pretty busy and should be able to put things behind her."

"I hope so," Charlie said saddened by her demeanor. His expressive brown eyes suddenly flashed angrily "It angers me that she could become a victim of some con man. These _people_ seem to come out of the woodwork whenever they see a chance to take advantage of someone else's grief."

"I know how you feel about psychics buddy but it sounds like this medium knew a lot of things that only Tom could have known and in this case they might actually have helped her."

"Come on, Don," Charlie replied in exasperation, "you don't really believe what she was saying do you?"

"How do you explain the picture?"

"There's probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for that."

Don pushed his sunglasses down and gazed over the black rims at his brother. "Such as?"

"I don't know," Charlie said waving his hands in the air out of frustration. "Maybe she just remembered that Tom had a habit of putting pictures behind other pictures and decided to check behind the photograph."

"Maybe." Don agreed using his finger to push his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

Charlie scrubbed a hand through his hair then graced his brother with an accusing glare. "Remember Simon Kraft? He always wanted something in return for his help so we can assume that this medium wants something from Jillian too- probably money."

"You've got a good point there, bro," Don said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I'll talk to Hank before we leave today and have him keep an eye out for that medium so that we can make sure that she doesn't take advantage of Jillian's grief."

Robin's brows drew together worriedly." Jillian didn't give you any information on the medium. You don't even know have a description of this woman so how is Hank going to keep an eye on her?"

"Don't worry about that," Don replied confidently. "Hank knows this town inside out so it won't take him long to figure out who it is."

The foursome fell silent as they continued across the Park but when Neil Diamond's _Sweet Caroline_ began to play they started humming along with it and by the time they joined the crowd in line for the chicken dinners the enticing aroma and their growling stomachs had driven all thoughts of the medium from their minds.

While waiting in line Charlie's gaze drifted to another table loaded down with cakes, pies and other delectable dishes. It reminded him of the pie contest that had taken place earlier in the day in which his father had been one of the judges. The mathematician grinned as he pictured Alan complementing each of the ladies on their delicious creations.

"Hey do you see Dad anywhere?" He asked nudging his brother in the back.

Don's head swiveled around as he searched the Park for his father then pointed to a table not far from the pit where the chicken was being grilled. Alan and Larry had donned aprons and were currently helping the firemen pass out free dinners to a small group of homeless people that had formed a line on the other side of the barbecue pit.

Charlie glanced at the front of the their line and was pleased to note that the people didn't seem to mind having to wait and pay for their own meals while the homeless got theirs for free but simply carried on pleasant conversations and waited patiently for their own food.

"Why can't it always be this way?" he mused sadly. "Why can't people get along like this every day?"

Finally they made it to the head of the line and filled up their plates with the freshly grilled chicken, potato salad, corn on the cob and rolls then headed for their picnic table. Don set his plate down on the table and opened up the cooler then pulled out four cold bottles of water. Just as he was starting to close the lid he heard a shout and twisted around to see Alan and Larry hurrying over to join them. He grabbed two more bottles and set them on the table just as they sat down.

"Hmmm, this is really good," Larry mumbled licking the chicken from his fingers.

"Delicious, absolutely delicious," Alan agreed wiping at the corners of his mouth with his napkin. He waved a hand toward the blue sky. "A beautiful warm day, family and friends and a delicious meal. Now who could possibly ask for anything more?"

"Can't argue with you there Pop." Don grinned as he took a bite of chicken.

At that moment the DJs voice resonated clearly around the Park**." It's been a pleasure to be here today folks and I have enjoyed it so much that I've already signed up for next year's fair. I hope I'll see a lot of you here next year too. Without further ado I'll say goodnight with the classic **_**Unchained Melody**_** by the Righteous** **Brothers. **

**Oh, my love  
>my darling<br>I've hungered for your touch  
>a long lonely time<br>and time goes by so slowly  
>and time can do so much<br>are you still mine?  
>I need your love<br>I need your love  
>Godspeed your love to me<strong>

**Lonely rivers flow to the sea,  
>to the sea<br>to the open arms of the sea  
>lonely rivers sigh 'wait for me, wait for me'<br>I'll be coming home wait for me**

People cheered and whistled approving his choice of the final song then abruptly returned to the business of finishing their meal. Not long after the final strain's of the haunting melody echoed across the Park the Eppes and their friends were sighing contentedly and patting their full stomachs.

00000000000

"That was very good," Marta said quietly as she gathered up the paper plates to toss in the trash.

"Yes, daughter it was," her father agreed. His gaze drifted to the ghost sitting across from him." Marta says it went well with Jillian and your son. "

"Yes it did." Tom agreed his pale blue eyes glowing with appreciation." I can't thank her enough for helping Jillian and Tommy. I know they'll be fine now." His gaze shifted to the picnic table where his friends were sitting then he lifted his head and scanned the Park." There are only a couple of activities left so after that the Park will start to empty out then we should be able to talk to them alone."

The older man's head swiveled around until he found the picnic table where the Eppes were sitting. "You don't think that just talking to them will suffice?"

Tom shook his head sadly. "They won't be as easily convinced as Jillian was so we will have to take a different approach to get their attention." His eyes flickered over Marta and her parents and suddenly felt guilty for bringing them there. "As a matter of fact I should warn you that it could become unpleasant for you until they are convinced that I am really here."

"It won't be the first time that we have been rebuffed by someone who did not believe us," the older man shrugged nonchalantly. "Some people accept the existence of ghosts easier than others."

His wife couldn't hear what Tom was saying but from her husband's part of the conversation she got the gist of it and leaned forward worriedly. "They will not become violent, will they?"

Tom's brows drew together thoughtfully. "I don't think so but knowing Don as well as I do he may try and have you arrested."

"Tom says they might try and have us arrested," Marta said patting her mother's hand gently.

"_Arrested!"_ The older woman exclaimed fearfully reaching for her husband's hand. "Perhaps we should reconsider…. I….. I do not want us to be imprisoned."

"Shh now, wife," the man said squeezing his wife's hand to assure her." Everything will be all right. We have dealt with difficult people before and have not gone to jail yet." He patted her cheek gently. "Do not worry everything will be okay."

Marta stood up and walked around the table then sat down on the other side of her mother. Sliding close she wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her gently. "Papa is right, mama, everything will be okay."

The ghost of Thomas Hill swallowed hard and looked away as a feeling of regret enveloped him. What was he doing? What right did he have to put these people through this? Was he wrong? He was just about to tell them to forget the whole thing when a sudden feeling of resolve coursed through him.

Tom clenched his jaw tightly. "No," he thought defiantly. "This is the only way, _the only way_ that I can leave this world behind and I need their help to do it." Now that the time was drawing near he had to stay strong – no matter what the consequences might be.

0000000000000000

"Sorry we didn't win Brian." Charlie said as he knelt down to untie the rope that held them together. The three legged race had been exhilarating and even though they had lost the race the little boy was still beaming.

"Thas okay perfesser," the six year old replied breathlessly, "me an Tom never winned anything either."

"You didn't?" Charlie asked, covering his mouth to hide his grin at the little boy's vocabulary. "I'm surprised to hear you say that-Tom could run pretty fast when he had too."

"Hey Brian!"

They both turned as another boy came running over to them and began tugging at Brian's arm.

"Come on. You're going to miss the piñata."

The little redhead's eyes widened excitedly. "Thanks for racing with me perfesser but I gotta go now." The two boys turned suddenly and ran toward a crowd of kids that had gathered around a small tree where a man was hanging a piñata in the shape of donkey.

"Thank you, Brian." Charlie called after the little boy. It had warmed his heart when the youngster had asked him to be his partner in the race; Tom had been Brian's big brother in the local big brother program and Tom's replacement was out of town for the weekend.

Charlie chuckled then bent down to dust his jeans off a little more. As he straightened up he felt a sharp pain in his lower back and began to massage it_." Oh man," he thought dejectedly," it's going to be a long and painful drive home tomorrow."_ He sighed heavily crossed his arms and leaned back against a tree deciding to relax for a few minutes before joining Amita and Robin at the craft tables. A loud thump and the sound of many objects hitting the ground drew his attention back to the piñata. Amid laughter and excited screams the children were scrambling beneath the remains of the piñata to gather up the fallen candy. A few minutes later the laughing parents moved in to collect their children and in the space of a few seconds the tree was deserted. The only one left was the man who had hung the piñata and as soon as the broken pieces were picked up he too disappeared from sight.

The mathematician glanced around the park in search of his family. They had been cheering them on during the race but when it was over and after a few pats on the back and "better luck next times" they had all wandered off to check out the tables that had been set up around the park.

With a sigh he pushed off of the tree and began the long walk back to the main part of the Park; he'd lost count of how many times he had made that same trek today.

In the distance he spied Amita and Robin perusing the remaining craft table. Most of the vendors had already packed up and left the Park but there were still a few tables left to check out. He couldn't remember what had been displayed on the tables but judging by Amita's interest he was sure a few of them would soon be decorating the Craftsman. He couldn't suppress a grin as Robin picked up one of the crafts and made a comment to Amita; it looked like Don would be seeing a few of them too.

His gaze drifted to the next table where his Dad and Larry were looking over the remaining cakes and pies. He had a strong suspicion that a few of them would be on his kitchen counter that evening.

The loud sound of an engine drew his attention to the parking lot as a pickup truck that was in obvious need of a new muffler pulled out onto the highway. The once full lot was almost empty now with only half a dozen cars and trucks still remaining.

The search for his brother proved a little more difficult but he eventually caught sight of him in front of a table where a woman was selling raffle tickets. To the right of a large fishbowl filled with a half of each ticket sold was a prize basket that was filled with homemade breads, cookies and jams. It also contained coupons from local businesses and had a pretty floral wreath placed in the center to catch the attention of anyone passing by the table. Even from his distant position he see both men pulling out their wallets to purchase some of the tickets; it wasn't a requirement to be present to win so many people had bought tickets on their way out. The drawing was to be held at the town hall the following day to determine the winner. Hank and Don soon stepped aside so other people could buy tickets and then became embroiled in an animated conversation. Charlie turned his attention back to the trail unaware that Tom had joined him and was walking by his side.

Without realizing it he had changed his direction and soon found himself standing in front of Tom's plaque. The day had been a big success and they had celebrated his friend's life in a way that he knew Tom would have approved.

"Happy birthday, Tom," he whispered softly studying the plaque at his feet.

The ghost of Thomas Hill nervously wrung his hands together as he paced back and forth in front of his friend. _"I don't want to do this, Charlie but I really don't know what else to do. It's the only thing that I can think of that will get your undivided attention."_ He took a deep breath and whispered." _I'm sorry… so very sorry_."

Tom cast his friend a sad look then glanced around the Park. There were less than a dozen people still there, including Charlie's family and they were all up by the tables. As he watched two more people packed up their things and headed for the parking lot. The time had come. His eyes darted to the foot of a large pine tree off to Charlie's right were three people waited for his signal. He swallowed hard then gave them a nod before taking his place at Charlie's side.

Charlie suddenly felt uneasy but could find no reason for it. He lifted his head and glanced swiftly and keenly around the Park, as if he'd heard a faint voice speak his name. He cocked his head to the side listening intently as he sought to place the unheard voice that had spoken to him. After a moment he gave up and decided to join the others.

The mathematician had only taken a few steps forward when he heard a noise that he thought he would never hear again; a melodious sound that only a few months ago had sent chills of terror and foreboding to his very core.

Charlie's heart began to race – this couldn't be happening! He glanced around in a panic – could anyone else hear it or was he having a waking nightmare! His eyes widened with surprise when he discovered that he was completely alone-where did everybody go? In a sudden panic he glanced up the hillside and was relieved to see Don and the others still at the distant tables. With them in mind he started forward but stumbled when the sound pealed again. Unwillingly his feet turned in the direction of the ominous sound and he began to walk toward it as if he were in a trance. He covered his ears with his hands in an effort to keep the noise out but it was too no avail; the sound enveloped him completely.

Charlie's face paled his eyes wide with fear as he muttered under his breath. "It …it can't be the same one…it just can't….can it?"

Logically he knew that what he was hearing was impossible and that he couldn't possibly be hearing what he thought he was hearing. Perhaps he was hallucinating or maybe he had grown so tired that he had fallen asleep or…or? Charlie's steps faltered suddenly as a strong breeze lifted his curls, his heart sinking at its physical touch. He had felt the wind on his face so he knew for sure that he was not dreaming or hallucinating - this time the sound was _**real!**_

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

_Seasons_

_By_

_1__st__ endeavor_

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 18:

"I don't think that I have ever heard anyone speak as fast as that little boy," Don chortled." You should've seen Charlie's face when Brian asked him to be his partner in the race." The agent and the Sheriff had decided to purchase some raffle tickets after the three legged race and were currently waiting for their turn in the line.

Hank snickered." Caught him by surprise, huh?"

"Yeah, you should have seen his face," Don repeated. "I don't believe that I've ever seen it go blank like that before." His shoulders shook with laughter."Poor Chuck, I can still see the look on his face." His grin broadened as he remembered the scene.

_They had just begun to eat their dessert when Charlie felt a tug on his T-shirt. Surprised he glanced around to see a small red haired, freckled faced little boy gazing up at him. As soon as he looked down the boy began to speak so fast that his words all ran together. "_Ah _please prefessercouldyou runthe racewithme?"___

_Charlie's forehead wrinkled in confusion as he tried to interpret what the little boy was saying."Hmmm….ah…sorry. What did you say?" He looked up and glanced across the table at his brother as it to inquire if he knew what the kid had said but Don just shrugged and graced him with a questionable look of his own. His eyes darted back to the little boy just as he took a deep breath and repeated his question. "_Prefesser pleasecould youruntherace withme?"__

_This time the mathematician recognized one of the words." Race? You want me to run a race with you?" His answer was a vigorous shake of the boys head._

_"What race?"_

_Breathlessly_ _the little boy answered."_ _MeanTomalways runnedthethree-leggedracetagether."._

_Charlie blinked once again then rubbed his temple while he attempted to decipher the boy's answer. He had managed to catch two of the words, me and Tom, but after that they had all just become jumbled together and made no sense to him. He glanced at Amita for help then rolled his eyes at her lopsided smile; she was enjoying his discomfort far too much. She nudged him playfully and nodded toward the little boy indicating that he needed to get a move on. He dropped his head in defeat then twisted sideways to slide his feet out from under the picnic table so that he could face the boy directly but before he could say anything a woman's voice spoke up from behind him. Charlie quickly rose to his feet then turned to find himself face to face with a woman in her late twenties holding a young girl in her arms; the shade of her hair made it obvious to everyone that she was the little boy's mother._

"_Please excuse Brian, Professor Eppes he has a tendency to run his words together when he gets excited." She smiled broadly and shifted the little girl until she was sitting sideways on her hip then extended her free hand toward the mathematician." My name is Shannon O'Donnell and these are my children Brian and Katie. When Brian heard that you were Tom's little brother he became really excited. You see, Thomas Hill, rest his kind soul, was Brian's big brother and Tom's replacement, Chance Henderson is out of town this weekend so my son was hoping that you would consider running the race with him."_

_Charlie smiled and shook her hand," It's a pleasure to meet you." His eyes dropped to the little boy, noting the eager look on the child's face the mathematician squatted down until he was eye level with the child then extended his hand to him."It's nice to meet you Brian. I'd love to be your partner in the race."_

_The little boy was so excited that he barely shook Charlie's hand before racing around behind him and exclaiming excitedly." Mommymommyhesaidyes…. he said yes!" His eyes widened suddenly." I gotta go tell Jimmy!"_

_Shannon grinned and called after him." You stay where I can see you young man!" She rolled her eyes and smiled apologetically at everyone at the table." Sorry about that. He gets so excited that sometimes he forgets his manners."_

_"Boys will be boys," Alan replied sagely." I should know I raised two of them myself, I mean their mother and I did."_

_"Ah, then you know what I'm talking about."_

"_Yes, indeed."_

_Amita leaned around Charlie to get the woman's attention. "What time is the race?" _

_Charlie blushed suddenly realizing that he hadn't introduced everyone." Excuse my manners," the mathematician said then suddenly looked pointedly at his father." Don't say it," he warned just as his Dad opened his mouth to speak._

_"What?" Alan asked feigning a look of innocence which prompted laughter from everyone around the table._

_Charlie gave him a warning glare then turned back to face Shannon."This is my wife Amita, my father Alan Eppes, my brother Don and his fiancée Robin Brooks." He waved his hand toward Larry." And this is our friend Professor Lawrence Fleinhardt."_

_"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Shannon replied then smiled at Amita." The race starts in 15 minutes," her eyes suddenly darted around the grassy Park looking for her son then she sighed and shook her head." I swear that boy has already mastered the art of selective hearing….. I better go and find him. Thank you for agreeing to race with him Professor Eppes. I'll see you later."_

"Don?" When he didn't get an answer Hank nudged the agent with his elbow." Hey it's your turn. How many tickets do you want?"

Don blinked his thoughts returning to the present. Embarassed, his eyes darted to the vendor sitting at the table in front of him."Ah….hmm…sorry. I'll take five please."

"That'll be $2.50."

"Right," the agent mumbled pulling his wallet out of his back pocket then hurriedly handed over three bills. "I've changed my mind. I'll take six please."

"Sure thing, buddy."

Don took his tickets and stepped aside to give Hank room to buy some then the two of them moved around the table and began to walk slowly back toward their picnic tables.

"What's Shannon's story?" Don asked glancing sideways at the Sheriff.

Hank didn't answer right away, his thoughts on the plight of the young woman. He shuffled along quietly until he noticed the shadow of a large bird circling overhead then his gaze drifted upward to track the path of a hawk in search of its next meal. Finally he lowered his eyes and spoke quietly." It's a sad but not uncommon tale these days. Her husband was on his second deployment to Afghanistan when his Jeep hit an IED." He shook his head sadly." Jack died instantly along with two other members of his team."

Don scrubbed a hand through his hair and sighed deeply." You hear about that sort of thing happening all the time but it hits home when you see the tragic results for yourself. Now his wife and two kids have to go on without him."

"Yep," Hank agreed sadly."Shannon's a strong woman though and she's got her kids and her family to keep her going." He met Don's eyes and shrugged helplessly."She's still young woman so in a couple of years she might meet someone else and try again. At least Emily and I hope she will."

The agent nodded thoughtfully then glanced at the tickets clutched in his hand." Here," he said offering them to the Sheriff." If these should win you can give the basket to Shannon and her family. We won't be back for a while and this way, you know, the …ah…stuff won't go to waste."

"That's very thoughtful, Don. I'm sure she would appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah don't make a big deal out of it." Don muttered suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. Deciding that it would be a good time to change the subject he shifted his gaze and looked out over the park. "It was a good day today, huh?"

"Yeah, it was," Hank agreed grinning at the agent's embarrassment while he tucked the tickets into his pocket." What time are you guys planning to leave in the morning?"

"My dad wants to get an early start so we'll probably..." Don froze in mid-sentence, his head whipping around at a distant sound-a noise that had been haunting his dreams for months. The agent's brow furrowed as he cocked his head to listen for the all too familiar sound- his voice trailing to a near whisper.

"Earth to Don," Hank joked then tensed up as he sensed the sudden change in the agent's demeanor." What's wrong?"

Don quickly held up his hand to silence the Sheriff, focusing all of his attention on locating the mysterious noise. Systematically he began to search the park grounds; his keen gaze flickering over his Dad, Larry and Faye who were busy carrying cakes and pies back to their picnic tables then coming to rest on the craft table where Amita and Robin were holding up and comparing wind chimes. As he watched them a gentle breeze stirred the metal and glass tubes sending a cacophony of melodious twinkling sounds resonating through the air.

The agent frowned as he gazed thoughtfully at the wind chimes. Was that the noise he had heard? He didn't think so, the twinkling chimes had made a different sound than the ominous tone that he thought he had heard. Just as he decided that he must have imagined it the noise came to him again… faintly on the tail end of another breeze. As the wind brushed lightly past his ears his head whipped around to face the direction it was blowing from but although he narrowed his eyes as he searched he saw nothing that could create the noise.

Hank stepped up beside of him and followed his gaze but could see nothing that would upset the agent. "Don, are you feeling okay? Your face looks a little pale- maybe you should sit down for a while."

Don scrubbed a hand through his hair then grimaced when he realized that his hands were shaking. What was happening to him? Had it been his imagination after all and what should he tell Hank? His eyes darted briefly to the sheriff's face before returning to scan the grounds of the park. He opened his mouth to answer Hank when he heard it again – the dulcet tone of a chime but it wasn't one of the wind chimes. His heart began to race, there was no mistaking it this time because the tone of this particular peal had taken root deep within his soul and he would've recognized it anywhere.

"Don, answer me. Is everything all right?" Hank demanded worriedly, his law enforcement instincts suddenly on high alert. He narrowed his eyes and followed the agents gaze again. "What is wrong with you?"

Don grabbed a fistful of Hanks blue T-shirt and pulled him closer. "Listen," he hissed. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Hank retorted cocking his head in an effort to hear what the agent had heard.

As if on cue the wind blew again carrying with it the distant bell tone of another chime as it floated on the wings of the breeze and circled around the park

"That." Don replied grimly, his eyes scanning the Park as he moved forward to find the source of the noise.

"What? " Fisher asked, his brow furrowing in puzzlement as he hurried to keep pace with the agent. "That bell? I'll admit that it does have a pretty sound…..but why does that bother you?"

"Pretty sound, my ass!" Don muttered grimly without offering any explanation. The agent's eyes widened suddenly; his voice taking on a more urgent tone. "Do you see Charlie anywhere?"

"Charlie?" Although surprised by Don's sudden shift of focus, Hank nevertheless began to scan through the few people that were still in the Park. Suddenly he nodded toward the memorial tree. "There," he said, pointing toward a distant figure. "Isn't that him?"

But Don had seen him too and was quickening his steps to catch up to his brother. As he walked he shifted his gaze to three people that were approaching Charlie. There was a man and two women heading in his brother's direction but they were still too far away for Don to see them clearly and although he had no reason to suspect that they intended any harm to his brother he had a sudden overwhelming desire to reach Charlie before they did.

"Do you recognize those people?" He asked Hank breathlessly as they hurried across the hillside.

"No," the Sheriff responded in a breathless tone himself then glanced sideways at the agent." "Wana fill me in on what's going on?"

"Not sure," Don grunted his eyes firmly locked on the advancing trio. The agent stumbled over some lose rock and would have fallen if Hank hadn't stretched out his arm to steady him but Don didn't seem to notice; his eyes were glued to the man approaching his brother. As he watched the stranger stretched out his arm toward the advancing mathematician; his fist closed tightly around an object.

Hank gasped, grabbing Don by the elbow and pulling him to a halt." Is that a gun in his hand?"

"I don't know!" Don cried struggling to pull away from the Sheriff." Let go, Hank!" The agent yelled angrily finally succeeding and pulling free of his grasp." I've got to get to Charlie!"

Desperately Hank tried to reason with the agent." Wait here. It'll only take me a second to get to my car and grab my gun."

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen," Don growled angrily over his shoulder as he continued his frantic race down the hillside.

"Damn!" Hank hissed veering toward the parking lot at a run to retrieve his revolver.

The branches of a large pine had kept the trio's faces shadowed but as they stepped into full sunlight Don was able to make out a few of their facial features.

"It's not possible," Don gasped out loud, "the man is dead!" Spurred on by the eerie sight he pushed himself even harder in an effort to catch up to his brother. "Charlie!" the agent called out desperately. "Charlie…wait!"

Charlie heard Don's call but continued to walk forward unable to resist the mesmerizing pull of the man's eyes and the sound of the watch that he carried. How was this possible? He couldn't be here…he was dead- killed eight months before in the mathematician's office and yet …somehow ….he _**was**_ here. The gap between them closed abruptly forcing Charlie to stumble to a halt. With trepidation the mathematician watched as the tall man took another step closer.

"Professor Eppes." The accented voice abruptly exclaimed. "I have been looking forward to meeting you."

Slightly bewildered, Charlie swallowed hard then lifted his eyes to the man's face and gazed into his hazel eyes. The shape of his chin, the sharp jaw line and the color of his eyes gave his identity away. Charlie had seen them before…on the face of Ludwig Schiller. It was Schiller's face ….but not. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't seem to form a coherent thought.

The pocket watch the man held in his hand suddenly chimed again sending chills down Charlie spine. Stunned the mathematicians gaze dropped to the pocket watch. He recognized the intricate carvings on its case but he didn't need to see it to know that it was the same one that Schiller had carried, the same one that had heralded those last five terrifying seconds in his office eight months earlier.

0000000000000000000

Don watched fearfully as Charlie came face to face with the stranger. He felt like he was running in slow motion and even though he was going to close the gap between them in a few short minutes he was afraid that he was going to hear the sound of gunfire and see his brother fall before he could get there but It wasn't the report of a gun that twisted his gut as he joined Charlie but the sound of the dreaded chimes.

Breathlessly he gripped his brother's shoulder tightly not only to let him know that he was there but also to steady himself until he caught his breath. His breathing was ragged at best and he could only nod his head when Charlie glanced briefly in his direction.

"You… okay?" Don managed to gasp.

Charlie didn't answer but just nodded his eyes locked on the watch.

As the agent got his breathing under control his fear turned to anger." What the hell do you think you're doing? And where did you get that watch?"

Calmly the man closed the watch and tucked it into his pocket then to the brother's surprise extended his hand for a handshake.

"As I said before Professor I have been looking forward to meeting you and your brother."

"Who are you?"Charlie asked finally finding his voice but instead of taking the man's hand he shoved both of his into the pockets of his jeans. Don's arrival had given him a little more confidence so he cleared his throat and pressed the stranger for answers. "You have me at a loss. Have we met before?"

"No, we have not, "the man said somberly; sighing heavily he lowered his hand. He hesitated then glanced at the woman by his side. Although her eyes were fearful she gave him a nod of encouragement then took his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly; come what may, she would stand at his side.

"I hesitate to tell you my name for I fear it is one that brings much sadness and fear to your hearts…as…as it should." A look of profound sadness crossed his features his eyes flickering back and forth between the brothers.

Charlie took a step back and stared up at the man trying desperately to get his emotions under control.

"Your resemblance to Ludwig Schiller is remarkable." The mathematician said coldly with more confidence than he felt. "Was he your brother?"

"No."

"What do you want?" Charlie demanded fearfully taking another step backwards; bumping against Don in the process.

"I believe my brother asked you a question?" Don said coldly, his eyes searching the man's clothing for any signs of a weapon.

"You are Agent Eppes….yes? You're the man that killed Ludwig Schiller."

"Don didn't have a choice," Charlie cried out defensively, suddenly fearful for Don's safety.

A look of surprise flitted across the man's face as he suddenly realized that both men thought that he had come to the park seeking revenge. "I know that your brother did not have a choice," he said quickly raising his hands in a placating manner. " I am not here to seek retribution for his death."

Don's eyes had turned to stone. "Why are you here?"

"I….I'm afraid that I've handled this rather badly. Perhaps I should start again." The stranger took a deep breath and said quietly. "My name is Erik Schiller."

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Disclaimer: _Mind Games, Trouble in Chinatown_

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews._

Chapter 19:

"I'm afraid that I'll have to disagree with your assessment, Alan," Larry said. The two men were each carrying pies that they had just purchased and were in the middle of a discussion on which pie was the better of the two.

Alan harrumphed loudly." Really? Well I happen to think that you're wrong." He lifted the pie a little higher to stress his point. "This is the best apple pie that I've tasted in a long time and I happen to know that you love apple pies too."

"The fact that your statement is true does not alter the fact that this blueberry pie is better than your apple pie."

"It's a simple fact that apple trumps blueberry, Larry," Alan retorted pretending to glare at his friend.

"Based on what?" Larry guffawed thoroughly enjoying their debate. "You're own pronouncements?"

"That and the fact that the other judges also thought that the apple pie was better."

"Need I remind you that not all of the judges voted for the apple?"

Alan came to a stop; wearing a lop-sided grin he peered at his friend over the rims of his glasses and said dryly. "Larry, you were the only judge that liked the blueberry. The decision was three to one, remember?"

"Decisions are not always absolute…they can be challenged you know?"Larry retorted smugly.

"Not in this case," Alan returned just as smugly.

"Oh, my friend, I beg to differ," Larry confidently replied. "Just ask Charles-I am well known for my ability to dispute the theories of some of our greatest cosmologists so I suspect that a simple pie contest will hardly be a challenge for me."

"Be that as it may my friend there is one aspect of this debate that you have overlooked."

"Really?" Larry asked his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Enlighten me."

"The stars have been around for billions of years for you to study," Alan said briefly rolling his eyes skyward before meeting his friend's gaze, "but after tonight these pies will no longer exist." Before Larry could say anything he added. "I suspect that most of your evidence will be eaten before we retire this evening."

Larry opened his mouth to disagree but nothing came out. He glanced at both pies again before looking at Alan's smug smile then his own smile morphed into a frown and with an exagerated sigh he conceded defeat. "Point taken."

Alan couldn't help but laugh at his friend's despondent expression. "Come on, Larry, you know as well as I do that you'll enjoy eating them as much as the rest of us will."

"Actually," Larry responded with a grin, "I may have to have another piece before we get back to the cabin."

"Hey, guys, look what we found."

The two men turned around as Amita and Robin joined them; both women were carrying a set of wind chimes to take home with them.

"Listen," Amita murmured, gently shaking the wind chimes. "It has a really delicate tone." She smiled brightly at Alan. "I think I know just where to hang it too."

Smiling, Alan nodded in agreement as a brief feeling of sadness washed over him. Margaret had loved wind chimes too but after the last one that she had bought had been destroyed by a storm he'd never replaced it; it would be nice to hear them again. To hide his moment of sadness he cleared his throat and said teasingly to Robin. "I have a feeling that I'm going to be hearing that little twinkling noise a lot."

Robin laughed." You have to admit, Alan, that it does have a rather soothing effect on a person." She shared a knowing grin with Amita as she held up her own set of wind chimes." If it's any consolation to you Don will be listening to them too."

The mental picture of his tough, FBI son being soothed by the dulcet tones of the chimes brought a secretive smile to Alan's face ; there were only a handful of people that the agent permitted to see his soft side and that included the four of them and Don's younger brother, Charlie. At the mention of his oldest Alan instinctively began a visual search for both of his sons. He easily found Don and Hank Fisher walking across the park but a further search failed to reveal the whereabouts of his youngest son. His eyes flickered back to Don and Hank who had stopped walking and appeared to be searching for something. There was a difference in Don's stance that he found slightly unnerving…..a sudden tenseness to his movements that hadn't been there just a second before. Was something wrong? He quickly scanned the park again but could find no reason for his son to be upset and yet he was starting to get an uneasy feeling that he couldn't explain. His eyes darted back to Don only to find that he and Hank had started walking again only now they were moving away from them. Alan could see no apparent threat to them so he forced his uneasiness to the side and put it down to an old man's imagination.

"_After what we went through a few months ago it's no wonder that I'm imagining things_," he thought in an attempt to explain his sudden feelings of trepidation. Alan's musings were interrupted by the sound of voices and he turned at the approach of two women who were deeply involved in a conversation.

"I'm telling you, Faye, that it was one of the strangest things that I've ever seen," Emily Fisher said as they joined Alan and the others." One minute she was holding the picture and the next she was taking it apart."

Faye nodded a silent greeting to the foursome then they all began to walk toward the picnic tables but eager to continue her conversation she quickly returned her attention to her companion." Why would she do that?"

"I wasn't close enough to see clearly but I think that she found another picture hidden behind the larger one."

"To whom are you referring?" Larry inquired interrupting them as his curiosity got the better of him.

Startled Emily suddenly glanced around then smiled apologetically." I'm sorry I got so caught up in my story that I didn't realize you were here. We were talking about Jillian Beal." She reached into the small box that Faye was carrying and pulled out the photograph of Tom and Charlie that had been sitting on the main table." I saw her take this frame apart and pull out another picture that had been placed behind this one."

"That is odd…I wonder what she found," Larry mused thoughtfully.

"Beats me," Emily said with a shrug of her shoulders. "It wasn't just finding the picture though…it was the look on her face that drew my attention more."

"What do you mean?"Faye asked, exchanging puzzled looks with the other four.

Emily's eyes took on a distant look as she searched for the words to explain. "Well, Jillian was in a hurry when she first came over to the table and…and I want to say that she had a look of desperation about her as she grabbed the photograph and took apart the frame." Her voice trailed off as she thought about the woman.

"And…," Alan prompted edging a little closer so he wouldn't miss anything.

"Oh…right," Emily replied slightly embarrassed at her lapse."The first couple of seconds there was such a look of loss and devastation on her face and… and she got so pale that I was afraid that she was going to pass out then suddenly her expression changed to one of hope but that only lasted for a second before it was replaced by one of profound happiness." Her eyes flickered from face to face. "After that she was different….the desperation and tension had been replaced by relief and joy. She was laughing and crying at the same time as she put the frame back together then she wiped her eyes and hurried away clutching the picture to her breast."

"It begs the question," Larry commented tapping a finger against his lips, his eyebrows rising as he exchanged looks with the others. "What was in the picture that held so much meaning for her?"

Amita and Robin shared a guilty look then Robin cleared her throat and stated quietly. "It's the only picture in existence that shows her and Tom together."

"It was taken the night that Tom proposed to her and they were sitting at a restaurant celebrating their engagement."Amita added, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You saw the picture?" Faye asked her eyes lighting up with excitement. "When…how?"

"It must have been right after she found it." Robin said joining the conversation "Jillian was heading for the parking lot when she spotted us and ran over to show it to Charlie."

Amita sighed softly and looked at Emily. "I know what you meant when you spoke of her expression…it was almost euphoric. It… it was almost as if a weight that she had been carrying for years had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders."

"That poor woman," Emily sighed sadly. "Hank told me what she said about her son. I can't imagine keeping a secret like that from Tom…especially since she loved him so much."

"Wait. I'm confused about something." Alan said pausing a moment to shift his pie to one hand while he removed his glasses so that he could rub the bridge of his nose. After a moment he put them back on again and resumed his conversation. "If she knew where the picture was then why did she wait so long to get it?"

"Ah...hmmm," Amita cleared her throat then glanced sideways at Robin before speaking."She said she didn't know it was there until today…ah…she said that Tom told her it was there."

Four mouths gaped open then Emily came to a sudden stop a few feet from one of the picnic tables. "Tom who? Our Tom…Thomas Hill?"

Robin nodded. "Yes, she said that his spirit was here today and that she spoke to him through a medium."

"A…a medium?" Faye's mouth opened and closed then opened again." You're joking, right?"

Amita shook her head as she set her things on the table. "It's no joke. Jillian was very serious about this."

"Oh, dear," Larry mumbled softly as he set down his pie and took a seat at the table.

Dumbfounded, Faye put her box down and slid onto the bench seat next to the cosmologist. "That poor woman….all that guilt must have driven her over the edge." Suddenly her head jerked up and wide-eyed she stared across the table where Emily and Robin had just sat down. "Beal **is** the town's new family doctor and she's been approved by the town council. Did we just accept a crazy woman as our new physician?"

"Calm yourself down, Faye," Emily ordered sharply. "Hank said he performed a thorough background check on her and everything was in order so I'm quite sure that she is sane."

Alan frowned, moving closer to the table. "Ah, look…Faye, many people believe in psychics or mediums and they aren't crazy so I don't think that we should just jump to the conclusion that Jillian is crazy just because she said that she had talked to one."

"Of…of course you're right," the woman stammered out awkwardly; embarrassed by her own outburst. "Please forgive me …I was just surprised… that's all."

Larry leaned forward and rested his elbows the table." The scientific community has not disproven the existence of psychic phenomena."

"Charlie would argue that the scientific community has not proven their existence." Amita said exchanging a knowing look with Alan.

"I can just imagine what Charlie said to Jillian." Alan responded with a dry chuckle.

Larry shook his head from side to side." As can I."

"Alan, are you going to hold that pie all day?" Robin asked, suddenly noticing that the older man was still holding the apple pie.

"Huh? OH…right." Alan replied, smiling sheepishly. He hadn't realized that he was still holding the apple pie in his hand but as he took a step closer to put the desert down he heard a sound that raised the hair on the back of his neck.

"_**Charlie!" Dons yell suddenly reverberated around the park. "Charlie…wait!"**_

The pie fell from Alan's nerveless fingers and hit the ground with a loud splat as he turned around in alarm in search of his sons; it wasn't the yell so much as Don's terrified tone that had him in a panic. Without a second thought he took off at a run, eyes locked on the spot where the agent had disappeared over the hillside.

Larry, Amita and Robin jumped up and raced after him; they too had recognized the fearful tone of Don's voice.

Momentarily stunned by their friends sudden departure Emily and Faye shared a blank look before jumping to their feet and racing after them. They paused at the top of the hill to catch their breaths and watched as their friends raced down the hill to join Don, Charlie and three other people.

"Oh my God!" Emily exclaimed after catching movement out of the corner of her eye.

"What!" Faye exclaimed suddenly, her head swiveling in all directions. "What do you see?"

With a trembling hand the older woman pointed toward the parking lot and gasped. "Hank is getting his gun!"

Sure enough the sheriff had just clipped his holster to his belt and was dashing back toward the small group of people.

Without another word the two women rushed down the hillside and joined their friends just as the sheriff confronted the three strangers.

"**Freeze! Nobody move!**

Don quickly stepped around his brother and stretched his arms out to stop the sheriff from rushing forward. "Stand down, Hank." The agent ordered quietly. "They're not armed."

"You're sure," the Sheriff asked still not totally convinced."What is he carrying?"

Don dropped his arms and turned away. "Just a pocket watch," he muttered as he took his place at Charlie's side once again.

The sheriff turned an incredulous gaze on the agent. "A pocket watch? From the look on your face back there I thought sure that he was carrying a gun." Irritably Hank returned his own weapon to its holster then walked around to confront the three strangers.

"My name is Hank Fisher," he said, his eyes roving over the trio before settling on the tall man standing in front of him. "I'm the Sheriff of Castle Rock."

"My name is Erik Schiller, Sheriff and this is my wife, Petra," he said smiling at the woman standing on his left," and this is my youngest daughter, Marta." Nervously the young woman nodded to the sheriff then moved closer to her father.

"Where are you from?"

"We are on holiday actually-our home is in Timisoara, Romania….ah…that's in the Banat Region."

He sounded sincere enough and yet Hank got the impression that Schiller was hiding something from him…and there was something else….something about his name-it sounded oddly familiar to him.

"So what brings you and your family to Castle Rock?"

"We were…ah...visiting Mount St. Helens and saw the ad for the festival."

"Did you enjoy yourselves today?"

"Oh, yes, very much so,"Petra answered unexpectedly, drawing the sheriff's gaze briefly away from her husband. She gave him a tremulous smile then dropped her eyes and began to fidget nervously with the hem of her tee shirt.

Hank scratched his beard thoughtfully as he studied them; they were far too nervous to have just come for the celebration. His eyes darted toward his friends; they remained silent…yet tense. Hank suddenly thought of Don's reaction to the chime and remembered the agent saying that the man had only been holding a watch. He searched the faces before him; there was more going on here than just a pocket watch and he wanted some answers.

"Mr. Schiller, do you own a pocket watch?"Hank asked turning back around to face the man.

"Ah, yes…yes I do." Erik stammered out, surprised by the question.

"May I see it please?"

"Of…of course." Slowly Schiller pulled it from his pocket and placed it in the sheriff's open palm.

Fisher turned it over slowly studying the intricate carvings on the case then he pressed the catch and the case popped open. Immediately a haunting melody spilled forth followed by six chimes announcing the hour. He glanced up and caught his breath at the sight of the Eppes brothers; both had paled considerably and he could see a look of terror reflecting in two sets of brown eyes. Hank suddenly tasted bile then snapped the case shut, immediately cutting off the sound.

"_What the hell?"_ _he thought, shocked by their reaction. "How could this watch have such a devastating effect on his friends?"_

The sheriff cleared his throat and handed the watch back to Schiller. "That's ah….that's a beautiful watch but...ah…I don't think that my friend's like it very much." He paused, inclined his head and asked in a harsher tone. "Why is that Mr. Schiller?"

"Because," Erik replied, sweat beading up on his forehead, "because the watch belonged to my uncle…..Ludwig Schiller."

"That's the man that killed Tom!" Faye exclaimed loudly, clasping her hands over her mouth.

"Dear Lord!" Emily cried, a look of disbelief crossing her face.

Don and Charlie were standing stock still, shoulder to shoulder silently staring at the Schiller's. Amita moved to Charlie's left and took his hand in hers while Robin moved to Don's right and did the same. Alan stepped up behind his sons; placing a supporting hand on each of their shoulders with Larry at his side. The Eppes were closing ranks in an attempt to protect the brothers from any further harm.

Hank drew himself up and set his jaw. "I'll ask you again, Mr. Schiller. Why have you come here today?"

Erik took a deep breath; this was it…time to tell the truth. His wife and daughter squeezed his hands encouragingly as his eyes flitted over the expectant faces in front of him. How would they react? They already despised his name…why would they even listen to him? Maybe he should just forget about it and leave while he and his family still could but then his eyes came to rest on the ghostly spirit of Thomas Hill, pale tears glistening on his cheeks from the pain that he had inflicted on his friends. Erik sighed heavily, he knew in his heart that he had to tell them what Tom needed them to hear. Releasing his daughter's hand he wiped the sweat from his upper lip, cleared his throat and met the angry eyes of Charlie and Don Eppes.

"Please believe me when I say that I have come to help you….not to hurt you."

"Help them?" Alan shouted angrily. "You call this help?"

"I did not want to do this," Erik pleaded desperately hoping that Alan would understand, "but he told me that I would have to get your son's attention so that they would listen to me." He pulled the watch from his pocket and held it before them. "He…he said that only this would make them believe that the message was really from him." Erik's eyes saddened as they darted to the younger brother. "He said that you, most of all, would be the hardest one to convince."

"Who told you to do this?" Charlie demanded furiously; his jaws clenched so tightly that his cheek muscles were twitching.

"Someone that cares a great deal about your welfare." Erik replied earnestly.

Hank was losing his patience. "I want a name, Mr. Schiller."

"Yes…yes of course you do." Erik sighed quietly, catching Tom's eye once again before he started to speak. "For several months now I have been visited by the spirit of Thomas Hill and it is on his behalf that we are here today."

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: Mind Games, Trouble in Chinatown

A/N: Sorry for the delay. Thank you for your patience and your reviews.

Chapter 20:

Bluish gray clouds mixed with soft hues of yellows and pinks surrounded the shattered dome of Mt. Saint Helens as the sun sank lower in the evening sky. The setting sun cast dark shadows over the mountain enveloping plant and wildlife alike, sending the animals that preferred daylight scurrying for the safety and comfort of their homes while night birds and other nocturnal animals began to stir and awaken.

One bird in particular, a male nighthawk, took to the skies in search of its evening meal seeking out insects and the multitude of bats that would soon leave their caves. Effortlessly it caught the air currents then spread its wings and glided high above the mountaintop. In a matter of minutes the quick flow of the zephyr had taken the bird many miles from the mountain and soon it found itself soaring over Castle Rock Park.

The bird's path cut across the now silent ball field which only a few short hours before had been filled to capacity with cheering crowds and excited people running around the bases. The multitude of kites that had once dotted the bright blue skies was gone now, carefully packed away by their owners for use on another day.

The hawk glided above the quiet park, the stillness broken only by the call of insects and birds until a strange sound reached its ears. Curiously it landed in a Hawthorne tree at the top of a small hill carefully avoiding it's thorns as it nestled among the large, white blossoms. Its head swiveled toward a small group of people gathering at the base of the hill and focused its beady eyes on a bright object glittering in the waning sunlight. A human held it in his hand and it was the source of the unfamiliar sound but the bird's survival instincts were stronger than his curiosity so he chose to stay where he was, hidden within the clusters of white blossoms until a movement drew his attention. A large centipede had chosen that moment to crawl across the bronze plaque beneath the tree; instinctively the bird darted downward and scooped up the unsuspecting insect then landed lightly on the plaque while he devoured it. Shouts suddenly erupted at the base of the hill startling the bird. It immediately flew back up to the tree where it could safely hide from observing eyes. It studied the agitated group below him; the hawk had learned a long time ago that humans were dangerous and very unpredictable. He tracked their movements keeping a beady eye on them, swaying to and fro with the tree top when a cool, gentle breeze blew through the park. The bird cocked its head suddenly then abruptly took to the air with a warning call to its fellow nighthawks; the bats were on the wing-it was time to hunt.

"For several months now I have been visited by the spirit of Thomas Hill and it is on his behalf that we are here today." Eric Schiller announced quietly then suddenly glanced up the hillside; a large hawk had darted out of the Hawthorne Tree and had taken to the air, its cry echoing throughout the still park.

Momentarily distracted from the man's astounding proclamation by the close proximity of the bird's loud call the others turned quickly to watch its flight then one by one they slowly turned back to face the stranger.

Although it seemed like hours since he had made his announcement in truth only a few seconds had elapsed and since no one had spoken a word yet Schiller took the opportunity to study their expressions; he'd seen them all before- the incredulous looks and shouts of outrage.

The Sheriff who had apparently heard many strange stories in his career only wore a vague look of surprise while the two older women in the back of the group had gasped and exchanged twin looks of astonishment. Alan Eppes's brows were drawn together in puzzlement but his stern gaze left no doubt; he might listen to what Eric had to say but protecting his sons was the most important thing to him.

According to Tom, Professor Fleinhardt would listen with an open mind and the man's inclined head and inquisitive gaze affirmed the spirit's assessment of the man while Robin Brook's had crossed her arms and schooled her features in a no-nonsense stance; he would have to offer some proof to win her over. Although Amita Eppes's expression was slightly softer than Robin's her eyes reflected a firm resolve to protect her husband at all costs.

Eric shifted his feet nervously as his eyes drifted back to the brothers; there was no doubt in his mind that Tom had been right-they would be the hardest to convince. He found Don Eppes's steely stare more than a little intimidating; the agent's rigid stance and clenched jaw gave him fair warning to proceed with care.

Charles Eppes on the other hand was the complete opposite of his brother; his face clearly reflecting his emotions. First, a look of surprise crossed his features then almost immediately it was replaced by one of anguish as he was reminded of his friend's loss. That expression morphed into one of disgust then righteous indignation and as the young man's face began to redden with anger Eric could tell that the silence was about to end.

"What? How dare you?" Charlie hissed, his eyes flashing angrily. "How dare you come here today and mock my friend!"

Erik raised his hands in front of him, palms up, hoping to calm the young man."Please…I mean no disrespect to your friend but you must listen to me," he pleaded earnestly. "I am telling you the truth."

"How do you people live with yourselves?" Charlie asked, enraged by the man's audacity. "You're just like sharks…feeding off of people's grief!"

"That is a lie!" Marta shouted angrily, stepping in front of her father. "My father has come here to help Tom…not mock him!"

"Tom is dead! It's too late to help him," Charlie exclaimed bitterly. His eyes met Eric's then he added in a scathing tone. "Your Uncle's doing….remember?" He couldn't help himself….he had s strong desire to make the man suffer for the pain that dammed watch had caused him and his brother.

Schiller flinched at the young man's cutting words. "I…I..," Eric struggled for words then closed his mouth, crushed by the harsh reminder of what Ludwig had done. Crestfallen, his shoulders drooped and he looked away suddenly at a loss for words.

"You had no right to hurt him like that!" Marta cried angrily, tears welling up in her eyes. "My Papa cannot be held responsible for the crimes his Uncle committed. He is a good man and only came here because your friend's spirit asked him too….and….and it's true…Tom does need your help."

"I did not imply that he was responsible," Charlie argued, taken aback by the girl's obvious distress. "I merely stated the facts."

"Well here's another fact for you, Professor," Marta retorted heatedly. "Thomas Hill is standing right in front of you and he's been by your side most of the time since his death!"

"Oh, boy," Charlie muttered with a roll of his eyes then asked in a skeptical tone. "You can see him right now?"

"Yes." She stated emphatically.

"She is right," Eric added quietly stepping up beside of his daughter. "Thomas is here."

"Say your right," Don spoke up suddenly, waving a hand to silence his brother. "What do you want?"

"Want? I…I don't understand," Schiller said exchanging a puzzled look with his wife and daughter.

"What's in it for you, pal? " Don asked taking a more direct route. "Money? Or are you publishing a book or something and want our endorsement?"

Surprise then sadness crossed the man's features, his eyes darting between Hank and the agent. "I see. You think this is some sort of...con game …that is the right word, isn't it?" At Don's nod he shook his head sadly. "Forgive me. Considering that you are both in law enforcement I should have made it clear from the beginning that the only thing that I want from you is a little of your time."

"A little of our time," Don repeated coldly. "That's it…and nothing more?"

"That is all I ask. Please,"he begged; his eyes darted between the brothers desperately looking for a sign that he had gotten through to them. "Tom brought us here so that he could speak with you. His spirit is still earthbound and he cannot move on until he talks to both of you. "

"This is ludicrous!" Charlie sputtered, turning on his heel. "Come on, Amita, let's go."

Amita eyed Schiller and his family sadly then gave her husband a nod and turned away.

"No…wait. Please," Eric cried desperately, taking a step forward.

Hank stepped in front of him. "My friends gave you their answer so I suggest that you all go back to your motel. You're welcome to stay in Castle Rock as long as you want to but if I hear of any complaints about you then I'll ask you to leave. Understand?"He waited for Schiller's nod of acquiescence before turning away to follow the others.

"_Noooo!" the spirit of Thomas Hill shouted as he chased after his friends. "Charlie, you've got to go back…please!" When his friend didn't respond he desperately turned to the agent. "Don….stop….please you've got to listen to him!" In a panic he shouted to Schiller. "You've got to stop them!"_

Eric lifted his arms helplessly. "How?"

_Tom wrung his hands anxiously….he had to do something…but what? Suddenly he lifted his head excitedly. "Tell Charlie that I know that he saw me this morning when he woke up. Tell him that it was not a dream…tell him that I was trying to talk to him then." _

Slightly confused, Eric hesitated. "Are you sure that will make a difference?"

"_Do it!" Tom shouted. "He didn't tell anyone else….don't you see? He'll have to admit that I was there! Hurry!" _

Eric waved for his family to follow and took off at a run, catching up to the small group just as they reached the edge of the parking lot.

"Professor, wait!" He shouted breathlessly. "Tom said to tell you that he knows that you saw him this morning when you woke up. He wants you to know that you were not dreaming and that he was trying to talk to you."

"Wh…what?" Charlie gasped, stumbling to a halt. His eyes widened in disbelief as he turned around slowly and gazed at Schiller as if he were a madman. "What did you say?"

"It is not what I said but what Tom wanted me to say," Eric explained slowly. "You did see him, didn't you…when you first woke up this morning?"

"Is that true, Charlie?" Alan asked, studying his son thoughtfully. "Did you see him?"

"Yeah, but…but it was just a dream, Dad," Charlie frowned, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I didn't even tell Amita about it so how could Schiller possibly know that I….?"His voice trailed off as he thought over the implications.

_Excitedly, Tom turned to Eric. "Now tell Don that I know he heard me call his name this morning."_

Quickly the older man caught the agent's eye. "Tom said to tell you that he knows you heard him call out your name this morning."

Don's jaw dropped as he pulled off his sunglasses and simply stared at the man.

"Donnie?"

"Yeah, I thought I heard Tom's voice this morning but how does he know that when I didn't mention it to anyone?" Don asked suspiciously.

"Only you and Tom know that he called out to you," Eric told to the agent. "There is no way that I could have known this." Wearing a satisfied smile he turned to Charlie. "And only you and Tom know that you saw him this morning. You admitted that you hadn't told your wife about it so how would I know if Tom hadn't told me?"

"He does make an interesting point, Charles." Larry commented, rubbing his fingers thoughtfully over his lips.

Amita squeezed Charlie's hand. "Maybe…maybe it wouldn't hurt to hear him out."

"They have come a long way, boys," Alan said quietly, his tone softening as he eyed Schiller and his family. "Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to listen to what they have to say."

Robin snaked an arm around Don's waist. "I'm up for a good story….how about you?"

Don glanced sideways at his brother. "What do you want to do, Charlie?"

"All right," Charlie replied, trying to sound as if it didn't matter one way or the other to him. "If you guys want to hear him out then I guess I'll go along too."

Faye suddenly rubbed her arms and looked around in surprise. "My goodness dusk is upon us- I didn't even notice the sun going down. Why don't we go back to my café to talk and I'll brew up some coffee and tea to take the chill off of the evening."

"Wonderful idea," Alan agreed wholeheartedly. He glanced around at the others. "We still have to finish loading up our stuff but it shouldn't take us too long."

Faye grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. "Oh, Alan, I left a few things at the table…"

"Don't worry," he said, patting her hand gently. "We'll gather it up and bring it along with us."

"Thanks so much. I better get going so that I can get the coffee started." She hurried to her car and in a matter of minutes was pulling out of the parking lot.

"At least we still have enough light to see where we're going," Alan muttered, following Charlie and Amita up the hill.

"We'd better hurry, my friend," Larry said, glancing at the darkening sky. "Our light is fading fast."

"Why don't you guys go ahead," Don suggested as he and Robin turned to follow the others. "We'll be along in a bit."

Hank nodded then turned his attention back to the Schiller's. "Do you folks have a car?"

"Oh…yes….ah ….that one," Eric said pointing at a small economy vehicle. "It's a rental car."

"Do you know the way to Faye's café?"

"Not really, sir."

"It's right on the main street but why don't you follow me over there? That's my car." He nodded toward his cruiser; Emily had just opened the passenger door to climb in.

"That is very kind of you, sir," Eric said gratefully. "We'll be right behind you."

Hank nodded as they hurried to their car then made his way to his own vehicle. Emily had started the car and already had the heater on to warm it up.

"Do you think they'll be able to see okay?" She asked, squinting up the hillside in search of the Eppes party.

Hank flipped on his high beams and turned the car until they were facing up the hill. "We'll wait until they get back down."

The Schiller's saw what they were doing and pulled up alongside of them so that their headlights could also provide light for the returning party.

They didn't have long to wait for just a few minutes later six shadowy figures loaded with chairs and boxes stepped into the welcoming light of the cars headlights. They hurried to the cars, quickly loaded their things then shouted thanks to Hank and the Schiller's for waiting to light their way.

"I have a feeling that it's going to be a very interesting evening." Hank said, glancing in the rearview mirror as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"You do have a way of understating things, Hank," Emily chuckled glancing in the side view mirror at the car behind them."Do you think they're for real?"

"I reckon we'll find out soon enough, Em." The sheriff replied as he took another look in the rearview mirror.

"Papa, could you turn the heat up a little more?" Marta asked as she pulled the picnic blanket over her legs. "It's cold back here."

"I'll get it," Petra offered turning up the heat then pointed a finger at her husband. "You keep your eyes on the road."

Eric chuckled. "Do not worry, Petra. We will not get lost."

"Perhaps I should remind you of how many times you have said that to me and then we ended up getting lost anyway."She retorted teasingly.

"Papa has an escort tonight, Mama." Marta said, joining in on the fun. "He can't get lost."

"Women," Eric huffed, pretending to be offended which prompted laughter all around then Petra became serious and glanced around the car. "Is he here?" she asked apprehensively.

Marta patted her Mother's shoulder reassuringly then glanced at the car behind them. "Thomas is riding with his friend tonight, Mama but you have nothing to fear from him. He is a nice ghost and means you no harm." Marta pulled the blanket tighter around her legs then mumbled too softly for anyone else to hear. "I am not sure that I like his friend though." She turned around and gazed thoughtfully at the headlights behind them.

"Are you sure about this, Charlie?" Amita asked her dark eyes filled with worry.

Charlie shrugged, purposely keeping his eyes on the road. "It's no big deal." He said, trying to keep his voice steady so that she wouldn't know how upset he really was. The truth was he found it rather unnerving that Schiller had known that Charlie had thought he had seen Tom that morning and he really, really wanted to find out how the man had found out about it.

"You surprised me, Charles," Larry remarked from the back seat. "I didn't think you believed in the paranormal."

"I don't," Charlie retorted harshly; taking a deep breath he added in a softer tone. "Let's just say that I'm curious and leave it at that, okay?"

"Of course, Charles, if that is really what you want?"

"It is."

"_Don't worry, Charlie," Thomas told his friend. "Once you hear the whole story you'll understand and then you and Don will feel better and I will no longer be tethered to this world and can move on." Even though no one could hear him he was too excited to stop talking and knew that he was just rambling but he didn't care;finally he was going to be able to actually talk to Charlie and Don. _

Charlie glanced in the rearview mirror. "Did you say something, Larry?"

Larry met his gaze in the mirror. "I didn't say anything."

"I was sure that I heard you say something."

"I told you that I didn't say anything," Larry insisted, shifting irritably in his seat. He felt a sudden chill then gazed at the empty seat next to him. "Perhaps…perhaps it was Tom."

"That's not funny, Larry," Charlie growled, frowning at his friend in the mirror. Don's headlights caught his attention and his thoughts turned to his brother; he couldn't help but wonder what Don was thinking about Schiller's revelations.

"Did you really hear Tom's voice this morning?" Alan asked, leaning forward so that he wouldn't miss his son's answer.

"I thought I did," the agent answered, his eyes fixed on his brother's taillights.

"How would Schiller know that?"

"That's just it, Dad. There's no way he could have known."

"Maybe he bugged the cabin," Robin spoke up suddenly. "Or maybe he planted recordings that sound like Tom to make us think that his ghost is there."

Don glanced over and grinned. "Spoken like a true Assistant District Attorney."

"Hey…it's what I do." Robin retorted playfully.

"But why would he do something like that?" Alan asked, putting a damper on the teasing banter.

"I guess that's what we're going to find out," Don replied grimly.

The small caravan rounded a curve and the lights of the city came into view; one by one the vehicles came to a stop in front of Faye's café.

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

A/N: I truly appreciate your reviews. Thank you.

Chapter 21:

The quaint little town of Castle Rock was virtually deserted on Sunday evening, its normally bustling shops dark and uninviting; they're owner's home and resting in preparation for the coming week. The deepening shadows engulfed the town until the buildings became indistinguishable from one another; separated only by its shape or by its proximity to the street lights.

In the encroaching darkness the town's namesake the 400 foot high monolith of granite appeared to have a deeper, darker shadow than everything else around it. It was so massive that it seemed to block out a portion of the night sky and actually looked like it was at the edge of the town instead of miles away where it towered above the Wenatchee River. Given the recent revelations it was no wonder that the people in the approaching vehicles were apprehensive and even felt a sense of foreboding as they gazed at the black shadow seemingly looming over the town.

The small caravan left the darkened highway and turned onto the main street of Castle Rock; its street lights a welcome relief to the surrounding darkness. In the center of town another light permeated the shadows as the warm, yellow light from Faye's café illuminated the sidewalk in front of her restaurant. The bright light was a welcoming beacon to the uneasy travelers who although anxious about the upcoming meeting were nevertheless eager to get out of the darkness.

Faye's car was the only other car in sight so the drivers of the small caravan simply pulled into the parallel parking spots in the order that they had driven. Don glided the SUV to a stop in the parking space behind his brother's Prius then absently switched off the ignition; his thoughts on Schiller's outrageous claims…..or were they so outrageous after all? He suppressed a shiver as his eyes drifted toward the dark monolith; he couldn't explain it but for some reason he felt as if it had a sinister aspect to it. The agent rubbed his arms briskly and shook himself. "_This is ridiculous,"_ _he thought. "It's just my imagination."_

Alan opened the rear door and started to climb out hesitating when he noticed that his son was making no move to get out of the car. "Donnie?"

Robin who had also started to open her door turned a quizzical eye on her fiancé and waited for him to answer.

Startled from his reverie the agent merely shrugged and pulled out his cell phone. "You guys go ahead I just have a quick call to make then I'll join you."

"Sure," Alan huffed noting from Don's demeanor that he would get no further explanation. He climbed out of the SUV then with a flourish opened Robin's door and helped her out of the car. "My lady," he quipped offering her his arm.

"Thank you, Alan," Robin grinned playing along with a sideways glance at Don. "I could get used to this."

Don rolled his eyes at her then hit the speed dial on the phone as they walked away but kept his gaze on them as they joined the others at the door until a familiar voice broke the silence in the SUV.

"Sinclair."

"Hey, David."

"I'm surprised to hear from you, Don." The black agent teased, his eyes lighting up mischievously. "Colby bet me a twenty that you'd be out celebrating big-time tonight but I said that from the way you guys were hobbling around the bases you would already be home passed out on your beds."

"Huh?" Don asked momentarily distracted. "What's this…bases….what?"

"Hey, don't make me lose my twenty bucks, man," Colby yelled as he looked up from his computer and shared a toothy grin with his partner.

"Your grand slam, man!" David exclaimed excitedly, putting the phone on speaker and setting it down on his desk. "It's all over You Tube, Don. Someone watching the game uploaded it live and it's gone viral."

"Hold on a minute," Colby said quickly tapping a few keys on his computer. "It's at twenty thousand hits already."

"Really?" Don's astonished voice resonated over the phone.

The obvious surprise in their boss's voice had both men chuckling."That's right, Don." Colby smirked. "Next thing you know someone from the majors will be knocking on your door."

"Yeah…right. Like's that's gonna, happen." Don chuckled dryly then his voice took on a more serious tone. "Hey, listen guys I need to ask a favor."

"Yeah…sure," David answered softly noting the change in Don's voice. "What's up?"

Sharing a concerned glance with his partner Colby sidled up next to the desk. "What do you want us to do, Don?"

"I need you to check someone out for me but it's gotta be strictly off the books. Okay?"

"You got it," David said pulling a small notebook from his pocket; leaning over the desk with pen poised over the pad he asked his boss for the man's name.

"His name is Erik Schiller and he's from a town in Romania called Timisoara….he said that it was somewhere in the Banat Region… I think…yeah that was it…Banat.

A look of astonishment crossed both agents' faces then David asked quietly. "Don, did you say Schiller?"

Colby scowled then leaned over the desk. "As in Ludwig Schiller?"

"The one and only," Don replied grimly. "He's says that Ludwig was his uncle."

"Uncle?" David replied scratching the back of his head in puzzlement. "Why the hell would a relative of Schiller's attend a memorial ceremony for one of his victims?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that one," Don said forcing a laugh. "In the meantime I need you to run the usual background checks on him. He's traveling with his wife, Petra and his twenty something daughter named Marta." The agent hesitated a moment trying to decide how much to tell them but in the end decided they would need to know about the man's wild claims. "Ah…listen you should also look for any ….ah….unusual claims that he or his daughter might have made-I have a suspicion that they may be trying to run some sort of con."

"What kind of con?" Colby asked as he sat down at his desk; immediately his fingers began tapping on the keyboard."It's noon on Monday in Romania so it shouldn't take too long to get the info you want." He paused suddenly his fingers hovering over the keyboard. "What kind of con did you say they might be running?"

When no answer was forthcoming David shared a puzzled look with his partner then sat down on the corner of his desk. "Don?"

"Ah….well you're not going to believe this but he says that….ah…he and his daughter can talk to the dead and that he has a message for me and Charlie from Thomas Hill." Don replied scrubbing a hand through his hair while he waited for their reactions.

"I'm sorry," David exclaimed in disbelief. "Did you say dead….as in dead?"

"I know it sounds crazy but that's what I said."

Colby whistled through his teeth. "Sooo let me get this straight. The nephew of Ludwig Schiller shows up at a celebration honoring Thomas Hill, a man that his uncle killed, then tells the agent that killed said uncle that he has a message for him from the murder victim?"

"For me and Charlie," Don corrected him

"Bet that went over big with Charlie," Colby snickered sarcastically.

"Yeah…well my brother hasn't exactly kept his views on physic phenomena a secret," Don chuckled dryly.

"Big understatement there, Don," David chortled. "Listen, what does the guy want in return for delivering Hill's supposed messages?"

"Schiller say he doesn't want anything from us," Don replied absently, momentarily distracted by movement around the door to Faye's café; apparently Charlie and Hank had decided to wait for him and had stayed behind while the others went inside. "He said that he was just doing this for Tom. Look, guys, I've got to go. Call me as soon as you get anything, okay?"

"Sure thing, Don,"

"Right. Catch you later," Don ended the call then shoved the phone into his pocket as he climbed out of the SUV and hurried over to join his brother and the sheriff.

"Did you find out anything?" Charlie asked anxiously his eyes searching his brother's face for a hopeful sign.

"Relax, Charlie," Don replied giving the professor's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "They'll get back to us as soon as they know anything." His eyes drifted upward to Hank's questionable gaze. "Two of my agents are checking out Schiller's background."

Hank nodded approvingly then nodded toward the door. "I guess it's time to go in then."

"This is just a waste of our time!" Charlie said abruptly then lowered his voice with a glance at the door. "Can't you see that!" he hissed, desperately trying to get them to see reason. "Schiller is just trying to run some kind of …of scam on us."

Don studied his brother for a moment then spoke softly. "Come on, buddy," he said, taking his elbow and steering him toward the door. "What harm can come from just listening to the man."

Charlie started to retort then clamped his mouth shut; he could tell from Don's tone of voice that there was no way to sway him from hearing what Schiller had to say. The young man jerked out of his brother's grasp then turned to face the street; he needed a few minutes to get his emotions under control. A war was raging within his breast and he trembled as he fought to contain it; rational thinking was what he needed now not an emotional triad brought about by a mindless rage….no matter how justified it might be.

_At his side the spirit of Thomas Hill wrung his hands together fretfully; guilt was eating at his soul. "This is my fault," he moaned softly, "all my fault." He hated to put his friend through this emotional upheaval but he knew that it was the only way that any of them were going to get any closure. _

000000000000000000

Inside the bright café Faye with Emily's help had started serving coffee to the people already seated around a large oblong table; although the table normally sat only ten she had somehow managed to squeeze in two more chairs so that they could all sit together.

"So…ah…is Tom here now?" Robin asked casting a skeptical eye across the table at the Schiller's.

Without any hesitation the younger woman looked up and met her gaze. "No." Marta replied quietly then nodded toward the door with her chin. "Thomas Hill rode over with Professor Eppes and is still outside with him."

"Really?" Amita asked paling slightly as she shared an uneasy glance with Larry. _"Was it possible that he had been right after all….had Charlie really heard Tom's voice in the car?"_

Marta's eyes flickered between them then she tilted her head to the side. "You already know that, don't you…he spoke to you?"

Alan paused with his coffee cup halfway to his mouth then shared a curious look with Robin while they waited for her to answer.

"No…no...I….I didn't hear him." Amita stammered out hastily, her eyes darting from face to face.

Marta turned to Larry but he just shrugged, rubbed his forehead and shook his head in denial.

"Ah, would you like tea or coffee?" Faye asked Erik, filling in the awkward silence. She picked up his cup as he twisted around to look up at her and had the oddest sensation that she had served him before.

"Do you serve Chai tea my dear?"Eric asked hopefully.

Faye didn't answer, she just stood there staring at him, her thoughts suddenly swirling back to another time:

"_Do you serve Chai tea my dear?" Ludwig asked hopefully._

"_Of course, I'll get it for you right away." Faye left quickly but returned a few minutes later with a cup of steaming hot tea and placed it on the table in front of him. _

"_Have you had a chance to decide what you would like?"_

"_Ah…yes…but I'm not sure what it is," he said with an apologetic smile, "could you tell me which meal is creating that enticing aroma?"_

_Faye beamed at him. "That smell just happens to be my homemade ravioli and I make it every Thursday." She leaned over; whispering conspiratorially, "It's my specialty and people have been known to come all the way from Portland just to have a plateful." She waved her hand at the empty tables. "This place will be full by seven-thirty."_

"_I'll take an order of ravioli please." Ludwig said quickly._

"_A house salad and fresh bread comes with it too. What kind of salad dressing would you like?"_

"_Do you have any raspberry vinaigrette?"_

"_Yes, of course. I'll be right back."_

_Faye left immediately and true to her word returned quickly with his salad. In no time at all, his salad plate was empty and she had replaced it with the main dish. "Are you just passing through or visiting the attractions in the area?" She asked as she placed a small basket of fresh bread on the table. _

_Ludwig buttered a slice of bread while he answered, "Actually I'm on a sabbatical." He started to take a bite and noticed her confusion. "I'm a Professor at Princeton University and I decided to take some time off to see the country." _

"_Well now," she replied, her eyes lighting up, "isn't it a small world. Tommy graduated from Princeton University. Do you know Tommy Hill?"_

"Oh dear lord!" Faye screamed as her thoughts abruptly returned to the present; trembling she stepped back from Schiller, her face a deathly white, her expression bleak. The cup she was holding slipped from her nerveless fingers hitting the floor with a resounding bang and sending shards of glass skittering across the tiled floor.

" Oh no," she moaned brokenly covering her face with her hands," I can't believe it….. I just can't believe it."

Concerned for his friend Alan rose from his chair just as the front door banged open when Don, Charlie, Tom and Hank rushed into the café.

" What happened?" Hank yelled rushing to Faye's side." Did he do something?" He asked with an angry glare for Schiller.

"What did you say to her?" Charlie demanded angrily.

"Noth….. nothing," Erik stammered out hastily, his eyes flickering nervously from face to face." I swear I didn't do anything to her.

"No... no," Faye spoke up quickly in his defense "He didn't do anything…. I…. I just remembered something… that's….that's all."

"Faye what could have been so terrible?" Alan asked coming around to stand at her side." You're as white as a ghost. Come on-I think that you need sit down." Taking her firmly by the elbow he gently steered her into one of the vacant chairs.

"Now," he suggested quietly, patting her gently on the shoulder. "Why don't you tell us what's going on?"

She lowered her head as if to get herself together then took a deep breath; raising her head she glanced at each of them before fixing her eyes on Erik. "It was the way that you asked for the tea that brought it all back to me. " An involuntary shudder coursed through her body as she spoke." "I never knew what he looked like…..our local paper just listed his name but didn't print the man's picture - guess we were just too relieved to hear that the F.B.I had killed him to be curious about what he looked like."

"Faye what are you trying to say?' Don interrupted; he really didn't need any more reminders that he had killed Ludwig Schiller no matter how justified it had been.

"I'm sorry-I didn't mean to ramble on," she said, her face coloring slightly. "What I'm trying to tell you is that he was here. That horrid man sat in my restaurant on the very day that he killed Tom."

"What?" Emily gasped.

"Faye, why didn't you tell me this before?"The sheriff demanded irritably. "I asked you if you had seen any strangers, remember?"

"I know, Hank, but there were a lot of tourists coming and going that week….you've seen what it's like around here when the restaurant is full. There were just too many to remember them all." Suddenly she caught her breath as the memory of that long ago conversation began to surface. "Oh, Hank," she said miserably; tears flooded her eyes as she looked up at the sheriff. "I remember now….we…we talked about Tommy."

"He asked about Tom?"

Faye shook her head. "No, I brought Tom's name up when he told me that he was a professor at Princeton University." She wiped at a stray tear and gazed sadly around the room as she explained. "You see….I loved that boy like he was my own….and I was always bragging about him so naturally when he mentioned Princeton I talked about how Tommy had graduated from there, too."

"_Oh, Faye," the ghost of Thomas Hill sighed softly; his gaze gentle and loving. "I loved you too."He knelt by her chair to try and console her but she couldn't see him there. Erik moved, caught his eye with a questioning gaze. "Should I tell her what you said?" Tom shook his head side to side, answering no to the unspoken question then said aloud. "Maybe later." With the barest of nods Schiller acquiesced then re-focused on the woman's story_.

Hank rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment then asked. "What else did he say?"

"I remember asking him if he knew Tom." Faye's forehead wrinkled and she gazed off into the distance; her eyes vacant and staring as she tried to recall the rest of their conversation.

_Schiller carefully chewed his bread and then swallowed before answering; the voice in his head suddenly coming to life and ordering him to be careful. "Thomas Hill? I don't seem to recall a Thomas Hill but then I've taught a number of students over the years and I daresay that I can hardly be expected to remember the names of all of them."_

_Taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor Faye quickly apologized. "Oh…sorry…. that was a pretty stupid question." _

"_Not at all my dear." Ludwig replied soothingly; trying to put her at ease as well as cover his own tracks. He started up the conversation again but pretended that he had forgotten the man's name. "Is…ah…Mr. Hill," he glanced at her for confirmation, "up here on vacation as well?" "Careful", the voice in his head hissed, "don't make her suspicious!" _

"_Tommy is a volcanologist and he works for the U.S Geological Survey. He's here to monitor Mount St. Helens." Faye answered, visibly relaxing as the professor's friendly manner returned._

"_That's an interesting career choice." Ludwig said as he continued to eat his meal. "Do you know him well?"_

"_Well enough to know that he'll be in here," she paused and glanced at the clock, "in about twenty minutes to get a take-out order of my ravioli." She grinned broadly. "He hasn't missed a Thursday night since he's been in Castle Rock."_

"_Really?" Ludwig asked, trying to remain calm; it wouldn't do for Hill to recognize him._

"Faye, did Schiller admit that he knew Tom?" Don asked, hoping to bring the woman out of her daze.

She glanced up at him, her thoughts returning to the present and shook her head side to side. "No, as a matter of fact he said that he couldn't be expected to remember all of his students then he asked me what Tom did for a living." Her shoulders slumped dispiritedly as she recalled all of the information that she had given him. "I told him and he wanted to know if I was close to Tom and of course I said that I was and that Tom would be arriving soon to pick up his take-out order."

"What happened then, Faye?" Hank asked sharing a knowing look with the agent; they'd both speculated what Schiller's next move would have been.

"Let's see…he said **really**….then I had to attend to another customer and a few minutes later he paid his bill and left." She shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I never saw him again." Her eyes became misty as she added softly. "Ten minutes later Tom came in to pick up his order….and…and I never saw him again either."

Don and Hank weren't the only ones who had surmised that Schiller must have gone outside to wait for Tom to pick up his order so that he could follow him home; the room had gone deathly quiet as everyone contemplated the distraught woman's last sentence-Faye had unwittingly given Ludwig the perfect opportunity to follow his victim home.

"Did…ah," Hank coughed to clear his throat. "Did you mention the man to Tom when he came in?"

"No," she said softly with a shake of her head. "He was in a hurry and the restaurant got really busy so I didn't get much of a chance to talk with him."

Hank's eyes were sympathetic as he gazed at her; there was no point in telling her what he was thinking-nothing could change what had happened. The sheriff could tell by everyone's expression that they felt the same way he did so he just shrugged and jammed his hands in his pockets. "No sense in dwelling on it, Faye-what's done is done." He turned away but abruptly halted when she suddenly gasped and clasped her hands to her mouth.

"Oh my God," Faye exclaimed abruptly as her own words hit home, "You don't suppose….suppose that he waited for Tommy to pick up his dinner, do you?" She shook her head mournfully before anyone could answer; covering her face with her hands she moaned softly. "It's my fault…..it's_ all_ my fault." Tears began to spill down her cheeks. "Oh, Tommy, can you every forgive me," she whispered, sobbing uncontrollably.

_Tom was shaken by her revelation, her admission unexpected; tilting his head to the side he thought back to that night. He'd been in a hurry because he had been on the verge of a remarkable discovery and had only taken the time to get the food because he'd realized that he hadn't eaten for almost two days. Tom had rushed into the café chatted for a couple of minutes and had hurried back to his car. Now that he thought about it he could remember noticing someone sitting in a SUV in front of Faye's café but he hadn't connected the headlights following his car to the same vehicle. If only he had been more cautious when he had answered the knock at the door but his mind had been on his work and he had figured that it was just a tourist who had taken a wrong turn. What a shock it had been to see Ludwig Schiller standing on his doorstep, even more so when he'd noticed the gun in the man's hand._

"It wasn't your fault, Faye," Emily said soothingly, patting the woman on the back. "There's no way that you could have know what that evil man was up too."

_Emily's voice brought Tom's thoughts back to the present and as he gazed sadly at his friend he realized that he had to talk to her; without shifting his gaze he asked Erik to tell her that he was there._

After a moment's hesitation the older man straightened in his chair then leaned toward the woman and quietly announced the dead man's presence. "Thomas Hill is here and would like to speak with you."

Charlie's eyes flashed angrily; how dare Schiller try and take advantage of Faye while she was in such an emotional state! He opened his mouth but closed it quickly when first Alan then Don caught his eye to urge him not to say anything. _"Fine!_ He mouthed silently then crossed his arms in front of him; he'd be quiet ….for the moment.

Faye raised her head, her face pale. She gulped, a dry, wrenching sob. "What…what did you say?"

"My dear lady," Schiller spoke gently. "The spirit of Thomas Hill is kneeling in front of you and wishes to speak with you." Erik waved his hand toward the empty floor space in front of her chair. His eyes drifted toward the ghost. "What do you want to say?"

"_Tell her that she didn't do anything wrong…tell her that Schiller was a very clever man and would have found me anyway." He sighed heavily as he thought over the events of that night. "Tell her that it was more my fault than hers because I should have been more careful when I opened my door but I was irritated by the intrusion and just jerked the door open with the intent of getting rid of whoever it was so that I could get back to my work". _

Erik nodded and turned to Faye. "Tom wants you to know that you didn't do anything wrong. He told me to tell you that my Uncle was a very clever man and would have found him anyway. Tom says that he should have been more cautious that night but he was distracted by his research and just flung open the door when Ludwig knocked without checking to see who was there."

A look of bewilderment crossed her features, her eyes drifting from the medium to the empty space in front of her. Cautiously she extended a trembling hand but felt nothing as she waved her hand through the air. She met the gaze of the medium; her own eyes filled with doubt. "He's really here?"

_Thomas laughed as her hand passed through the top of his head. "Tell her that if I was still alive today and she had a pair of scissors in her hand right now she would be in a position to cut my hair the way that she used to threaten to do when I was around." He smiled and glanced sideways at the medium. "She used to tell me that I wore my hair too long and that I would get more dates with the ladies if I would cut it shorter and then she would show me her scissors and offer to shorten it for me." _

Noting the fondness in the spirit's voice Erik smiled sadly and said quietly. "You cared a great deal for her." It was a statement, not a question and Tom merely nodded in response. His eyes flickered back to the woman. "You should know that Thomas laughed just a moment ago because your hand touched the top of his head and he said to tell you that if his physical form was still here and if you had been holding those scissors that you enjoyed threatening him with so much then you would have been able to cut his hair the way you always threatened to do."

Faye gasped clasping her hands to her mouth in astonishment and she wasn't the only one because behind her the jaws of Emily and Hank Fisher dropped open in amazement. Stunned, Emily opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out then Hank's eyes drifted across the faces of everyone in the room before he uttered in a shocked tone of voice. "It's true. Faye used to threaten to cut Tom's hair all the time….but how would Schiller know that?"

Erik had said enough to convince Faye however so she leaned forward and cautiously patted the air where she thought Tom's head would be; a loving and hopeful gleam glistening in her eyes. "Oh, Tommy, I have missed you so much," she whispered her lips quivering as she spoke. Her head tilted sideways and her smile saddened. "I'm so sorry Tom…can…can you ever forgive me for being so stupid?"

_Tom took her hand in his and gazed deeply into her eyes, "Faye, you have done nothing for me to forgive you for so please don't let it trouble you anymore. I loved you in life and still do so all I ask is for you to hold my memory in your heart and move on with your life." He glanced at Erik and nodded for him to relay his words._

"Tom says that you have done nothing wrong…..that there is nothing to forgive you for." Erik said gently then waited until he caught her eye. "He wants you to know that he loved you very much and wants you to move on with your life but hopes that you will keep his memory in your heart."

"Always," Faye whispered earnestly wiping the tears from her eyes.

_Tom rose to his feet and stepped back; his eyes flitting around the room. He could tell from the expressions on Emily and Hanks faces that they now believed he was there with them. Alan, Larry, Amita and Robin's expressions had softened a bit but a hint of skepticism still shown in their eyes. Don's eyes, on the other hand, were dark and unreadable; his emotions guarded and well-hidden from years of practice. Charlie, unlike his brother, couldn't hide his feelings even when he tried and what Tom saw now was nothing more than he had expected. Charlie held his chin up in defiance, his dark eyes full of skepticism; his stance rigid and unyielding. Thomas sighed audibly; he needed Charlie more than anyone else to believe that he was there and he was going to be the hardest one to convince. His pale blue eyes shifted back to the agent; perhaps if he talked to Don first and was able to convince him then maybe Charlie would be more inclined to accept the truth_. _The sound of Faye's voice distracted him and he turned in her direction._

"Is he still there?" Faye asked, stretching out her hand once again; she had stopped crying and almost seemed her old self again.

"No," Erik replied, his eyes on the spirit. "He's walking around the room now."

"Good," she said smiling. "I'm glad he's still here. Oh, my, just look at the mess I've made." She knelt down and started picking up the pieces of the coffee mug. The sound of a scraping chair was heard as Petra then Emily joined her to clean up the glass. In no time at all the ladies had cleaned up the mess and served fresh cups of steaming coffee and tea to everyone at the table. The room had remained virtually silent but every now and again snatches of quiet conversations could be heard as the friends discussed Faye's paranormal encounter.

Tom walked over and stood behind Don and Charlie's chairs. The brothers were seated side by side with Amita to Charlie's left and Robin to Don's right. Alan was sitting beside of Robin and Larry was next to Amita. Directly across from the Eppes brothers was Erik Schiller; Petra was on his right and Marta was seated to his left. Faye sat down next to Alan with Emily and Hank occupying the next two chairs.

Everyone was seated now; eleven pairs of eyes locked on the medium and waited for him to begin. Erik colored slightly, his lips parted as if he was about to say something when suddenly with a loud bang the door to the café slammed shut with such force the it rattled the windows; startled, everyone turned toward the door.

"Ah, sorry, Faye," Charlie apologized. "I guess we forgot to close the do…." His words died on his lips as he turned back around to find Erik and Marta on their feet. He tilted his head curiously and shared surprised looks with the others around the table as the two mediums began to look about the room. "Ah…hmm. What's going on?"

Amita shivered suddenly then rubbed her arms briskly. "Do you feel that chill? It must have gotten really cold outside."

Erik ignored their questions then raised his hand to silence any further comments. He glanced sideways at his daughter. "Do you see anything?"

"No," Marta replied anxiously, her eyes narrowing as she searched the shadows."Papa, there is another presence here-I can feel it."

"As can I," Erik muttered beneath his breath, his expression darkening. His troubled eyes met those of Thomas Hill. "Can you see anyone?"

_Tom strode to the middle of the cafe and turned slowly around as he perused the darker shadows in the room but even to his eyes the room appeared empty….and yet…somehow he knew that someone else had entered the café…a man….someone dead….like him._

"_I know you're here," Tom called out suddenly. "Why don't you show yourself?" Hill waited in silence but no one appeared and after a few minutes turned to face Erik. "Why does he stay hidden? Why doesn't he come forward?"_

"I cannot answer that, Tom," Erik said grimly, casting a nervous glance about the room. "For some reason this spirit does not wish to be seen."

"There's a strange feeling about his presence, Papa," Marta muttered anxiously. "Something that I have never felt before."

"Yes, daughter, I can feel it too." Erik swallowed, licked dry lips. He took a deep breath, fending off panic and added grimly. "It has a cold…almost…_**evil **_feel to it."

TBC


	22. Chapter 22

Seasons

By

1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: _Mind Games, Soft Target, Money for Nothing_

A/N: I appreciate your reviews and your patience. Thank you.

Chapter 22:

"There's a strange feeling about his presence, Papa," Marta muttered anxiously. "Something that I have never felt before."

"Yes, daughter, I can feel it to." Erik swallowed, licked dry lips. He took a deep breath, fending off panic and added grimly. "It has a cold…almost..._evil _feel to it."

"Evil?" Faye whispered licking her own dry lips as she looked fearfully around the room. "You mean…some…some evil spirit …slammed the door shut and is here with us now?"

Her question went unanswered and an eerie silence enveloped the room while the two mediums continued their search of the shadows; Petra, sensing her daughter and husband's uneasiness pulled a rosary from her pocket and began to nervously rub it between her fingers.

Charlie's jaw dropped open in astonishment then his face reddened as an indignant expression crossed his face. Schiller had to be kidding-trying some lame "smoke and mirror" tactics on them; this was absurd! The mathematician glanced around the table expecting to see his own outrage mirrored on everyone's faces but was dismayed to find the others avidly following the "supposed" conversation between the medium, his daughter and the spirit of Thomas Hill; taxed to his limit the young man could contain himself no longer.

"Honestly…seriously," he exclaimed with a roll of his eyes. "You're not really trying to say that the door slammed shut because of some paranormal activity?"

Schiller spared him a brief glance before resuming his scan of the room; the evil presence was all too real for him to allow the skeptical rants of the professor to distract him.

Undaunted by the man's lack of response Charlie turned to his mentor for support. "Come on Larry, " he urged gesturing toward the front door, "you know as well as I do that the closing of the door was due to fluid dynamics not some….some…imagined supernatural event."

"While I cannot fully discount Bernoulli's principle here, Charles, I have to admit that I am very curious about Mr. Schiller's explanation of the occurrence." Larry stated firmly, shifting his gaze to the medium.

Charlie scrubbed a hand through his curls in frustration; had the whole world thrown rationality out the window? His eyes drifted around the table then he shook his head. "Please tell me that you don't honestly believe that an "evil spirit" slammed that door shut?" he pleaded, nodding toward the door with his chin. When no one answered he desperately turned to his wife hoping that she at least would support the truth but doubt filled the soft, brown eyes that gazed back at him.

"No," Charlie groaned, regarding her with some misgiving, "not you too?"

Blushing, Amita shook her head slightly. "No...no…not completely but I am curious, Charlie." She took his hand in hers and gazed earnestly into his eyes. "We're already here so why not listen to the rest of his story?"

"She's right, Charlie," Alan agreed in an effort to persuade his youngest; Charlie was good at a lot of things but accepting the fact that not everything could be explained scientifically wasn't one of them. "I'd like to hear the rest of what Mr. Schiller or…ah… Tom has to say too."

"Come on, Dad," Charlie begged, "it's just smoke and mirrors….can't you see that?"Without waiting for an answer he nudged his brother. "Don?"

"I don't know about that, Charlie." The agent replied quietly "How do you explain what he told Faye?" He raised his hand to forestall his brother's arguments. "And don't say it was just a lucky guess or apply your "throwing darts" theory either because there's no way that he could've known that."

"Fine," the mathematician retorted throwing his hands up in the air in defeat; Don had successfully thwarted his rebuttal. "Whatever," he muttered irritably, lowering his head and rubbing his forehead. "I suppose next we'll be putting our hands together for a séance?"

"All right, Charlie," Don admonished him quietly.

Erik and his daughter had remained standing during the conversation but had paid little attention to the discussion, more concerned with the invisible menace in the room than what was happening around the table. The physic eyed the deeper shadows in the back of the room apprehensively then glanced briefly at Tom before immediately refocusing on a particularly dark corner.

"Do you see anything over there?" he asked nodding toward the corner with his chin.

"_No," Tom replied eyeing the dark corner as well. He stared long and hard into the recesses of the corner , narrowing his eyes in a effort to see better but when that failed to bring their reluctant visitor in view he strode angrily across the room toward the corner_.

"Careful, Tom," Marta pleaded urgently. "I sense a spirit so full of turmoil and rage that it could be a threat to you."

"_You're kidding….right?" Tom retorted bitterly with an amused glance over his shoulder. "I'm already dead…remember? What else could be done to me?" _

_Realizing what she had just said Marta blushed and mumbled sarcastically under her breath. "Oh…right…what was I thinking?" She'd never gotten so attached to a spirit before and was puzzled by her own emotions then was shocked to realize that she had developed feelings for the tortured spirit and once again felt a pang of regret that she hadn't had a chance to know him when he was alive._

"_Don't worry. I'll be fine," Tom assured her in an effort to soften his harsh words; his eyes locked on the shadows in front of him. The spirits' blue eyes hardened as they burrowed through the shadows; his jaw set in grim determination. Tom had come too far and was too close to putting an end to his dammed ethereal existence to let some interloping spirit's appearance disrupt his plans. But no matter how hard he pushed at the shadows the other entity managed to keep hidden…..never saying a word or revealing itself but nevertheless continuing to hover at the very edges of Tom's awareness._

"_If you're not coming out then you'd better stay where you are!" Tom bellowed at the unknown entity, his blue eyes darkening with rage. "If you try to interfere I promise that I will make you pay dearly for it!"He turned abruptly on his heel and strode angrily out of the shadows with such a menacing demeanor that Marta gasped and reached for her father's hand._

Erik patted her hand in an attempt to soothe her fears. "Do not be afraid daughter…..Thomas will not hurt us."

_Tom came to a standstill behind Don and Charlie then closed his eyes; forcibly unclenching his fists in an effort to calm himself down. When he opened them a few minutes later he was calm once again and anxious to see his plan reach fruition; he didn't know what to expect from the unknown spirit but he wasn't going to give it any chances to interfere either._

"Could you see who it was?" Marta whispered anxiously her eyes drifting between the shadowed corner and Tom.

"_No!" Tom hissed irritably, "He won't come out but don't worry if he does I will deal with him." His eyes drifted to people sitting around the table; they were casting doubtful glances at one another and beginning to fidget in their chairs. Tom could tell by the look on Charlie's face that he was on the verge of walking out and Don had started to tap impatiently on the table with his fingers; he had to hurry or he was going to lose them. The phantom caught the medium's eye and gestured toward the agent. "Let's start with Don."_

Schiller drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly then sat back down again; motioning for his daughter to do the same. After Marta sat down his eyes drifted to the expectant faces around the table until finally settling on Don Eppes and the ghostly figure of Thomas Hill standing behind him.

"As I mentioned earlier Tomas Hill's spirit has not been able to cross over into the light…he is still earthbound."

"Cross over?" Robin asked automatically slipping into her skeptical District Attorney tone of voice. "What exactly does that mean?"

Eric smiled slightly. "I understand that this will be difficult for you to believe but when a person dies their spirit steps into a white light in order to leave this plane of existence and move onto the next one."Silence greeted him and he coughed uncomfortably from the blank stares that greeted his words.

"Soo….ah….why hasn't he ….ah…I mean Tom…stepped into the light?" Alan asked coloring slightly from his sons questioning gazes. "What? I want to know why," he added defensively then squared his shoulders; raising his chin stubbornly he turned to Eric. "Please continue."

"Sometimes when a person's life is ended so violently it's soul is filled with regret because it didn't have a chance to say good bye to those people that it cared about and so remains earthbound-unable to cross into the light until it finds a way to communicate with them and can relinquish its hold on this world. " Eric's eyes drifted back to the Eppes. "Tom is worried about you and your brother and is unable to cross over until he speaks to you both."He focused on Don. "Agent Eppes, Thomas wishes to speak with you first."

"Oh, yeah," Don retorted in a clipped voice his eyes dark and unreadable. The agent leaned back and casually crossed his arms then gave him a nod with his chin. "What about?"

Schiller's eyes rose to the empty space above Don's head. "Tom?"

The spirit was thoughtful for a moment then walked slowly around the table until he was standing behind the medium and could see Don's face clearly. It wasn't his friend that he was seeing now but the formidable FBI agent that was returning Schiller's gaze; convincing Don that he was really there was not going to be easy…but where did he begin? He sorted through his memories searching for that one thing that would convince Don of his presence and realized how important Don's friendship had meant to him. Tom stared sadly at the agent; their friendship had been a short one because up until the time that Don and Charlie had started working together the two men had disliked one another immensely. Afterwards, they had been able to put the past behind them and had developed a true friendship.

Their early relationship had been an uneasy alliance at best-one brought on by necessity in order for him to maintain his friendship with Charlie. Tom rubbed his chin thoughtfully; perhaps if he reminded Don of conversations that only the two of them had shared then the agent might start to believe that Eric was telling them the truth. He glanced sideways at the man's brother; Charlie would get upset when he heard about the conflicts that had existed between them but he had no other choice-it was the only way to prove his existence.

"_Tell him," Tom hesitated, frowning as he cast a regretful look at Charlie then abruptly forged ahead with grim determination. "Tell him that I didn't like him when we first met …that I found him arrogant and that I deeply resented how he treated Charlie."_

Surprised by the spirits words Eric twisted around in his seat tilting his head upward to meet the phantoms eyes. "What? Are…are you sure that's what you want me to say?"

_Yes," Tom replied firmly then seeing the doubt in the mediums eyes offered him a brief explanation. "It's the simple truth and only he and I were aware of it so Don will know that I am really here."_

A look of understanding flickered in Eric's eyes as he gave him a reluctant nod and turned around to face the agent. "Tom, ah…," he nervously cleared his throat then shared an apprehensive look with his daughter before repeating the spirits words. "Tom says that he didn't like you very much when the two of you first met…..that he found you arrogant…and….and that he didn't like how you treated your brother."

A look of surprise flitted across the agent's features before his brow furrowed in thought. Don frowned; of all the things that he'd expected the medium to say he'd never given that topic a single thought. It was true, of course, the two men had experienced a mutual dislike of one another from the onset and it wasn't until years later that a true friendship had formed between them but before he could respond his brother angrily interrupted them.

"That's a lie!" Charlie cried out furiously; how dare the man make those accusations against his brother. "Tom would never say those things about Don…their all lies!"

_Tom stared sadly at his friend; he'd expected no less of Charlie because despite the way Don had treated him he would always jump to his defense if a disparaging word had been uttered against his brother_.

"No," Don said frowning as he met his brother's gaze, "they aren't. I'm sorry, buddy, but he's telling the truth. Tom and I didn't get along at first and as much as I hate to admit it he was right. I should have been a better brother to you back then but it was like you and I lived in two different worlds and I pushed you away. Tom called me on it and said that someday I would regret it…I…I didn't see it then but he was right and years later I told him so."

"I never knew….he never told me and neither did you?"Stunned by the admission Charlie's gaze dropped to the table before he turned to his father. "Did you know?"

Alan gazed thoughtfully from son to son before responding. "Your Mother and I suspected that there was some animosity between them but we thought it best to stay out of it so we never spoke of it."

"It begs the question," Larry said quietly arching an eyebrow. The cosmologist gestured toward Eric. "If this information is truly something that only Don and Tom knew about then how could this man possibly be aware of it?"

An uneasy silence filled the room as nervous glances were cast at the seemingly empty space behind the medium ; could it be true…was Tom's spirit really there and standing behind Schiller?

Don rubbed his chin thoughtfully; he'd never said a word to anyone about their arguments and apparently Tom had never either because if he hadn't shared it with Charlie then he wouldn't have shared it with anyone.

"Okay, say I believe you," Don said quietly to Eric; weighing and measuring his every move. "What else did…does Tom want to say?"

Instinctively, Charlie's head whipped around preparing to debunk what his brother had just said but as he opened his mouth to speak no words came out. He closed his mouth without uttering a sound; doubt and confusion clouding his dark brown eyes.

Relieved Eric glanced upward. "Tom?"

"_First, please tell Don that I'm sorry that I had to bring that up but I didn't know any other way to convince him that I am here and secondly, that I had no right to be so judgmental of him back then. It took me years to realize the sacrifices that he'd made for Charlie and that I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for him to grow up in his younger brother's shadow but at the time I could only see a young boy whose feelings were repeatedly hurt by an older brother that he loved and idolized."_

Eric nodded rethinking the spirits words while he studied the closed expression of the agent; could he convey the message with enough sincerity so that the man would not take offense?

"First, Tom wants you to know that says he is sorry that he had to bring up this matter but he couldn't think of any other way to convince you of his presence." Taking Don's slight nod as an acceptance to Tom's apology Eric repeated the rest of Tom's message. "He also wants you to know that he was wrong to judge you back then because later on he came to realize how difficult it must have been for you to grow up in your younger brother's shadow and that you were probably forced to make many sacrifices on his behalf." At Don's silence he added earnestly. "Tom says that at the time all he could see was a young boy whose feelings were repeatedly hurt by an older brother that he dearly loved and idolized."

Charlie shifted uncomfortably in his chair and thought about his child hood; it wasn't until years later that he'd given any thought to how difficult it must have been for Don. He remembered how overjoyed he'd been to learn that he was going to attend high school with Don and couldn't understand why his brother had not been as thrilled about it as he was. Up until then, Charlie reflected, school had been the one place that Don had managed to distance himself from him but after that his genius must have become a heavy burden for his brother to bear.

How could he have been so blind to the effects his abilities had on his brother? Charlie should have been more understanding but at thirteen he couldn't understand why Don hadn't wanted him around. Years later they argued about it and tears stung the back of his eyes as Don's words floated to the surface of his mind. They had been discussing a girl they had both liked who had gone to the Prom with Don and that had brought back bitter memories of attending high school with his brother. In his own defense Don had retorted _"You were five years younger than me and I felt like an idiot sitting next to you so forgive me for doing something better than you."_ They had come to terms with those issues now but he couldn't help but feel guilty about the sacrifices Don had made for him. He felt movement on his right and suddenly Amita's hand was in his and he looked up to meet her sympathetic gaze; grateful for her love and understanding.

Don stared at the medium in silence as a wave of guilt washed over him; there was no need for an apology-Tom had been right. He'd deeply resented the attention that his younger brother had received and had felt cheated that so much of his parent's attention had been given to him and even though he'd known that it hadn't been Charlie's fault he still blamed him for it. Sometimes the awards and the accolades had been too much for him to bear and he guiltily recalled calling Charlie "a curly-haired black hole that swallowed up the universe." Don glanced sideways at his brother and was relieved to find that the old resentments were gone and in their stead stood the strong bond that the brothers had fought so hard to forge.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Tom," Don said focusing on the empty space behind the medium. "We both know that you were right back then and I'm sorry that I never told you how grateful I am that you were there for Charlie when he needed a "big brother's" help and advice." He glanced briefly at his brother and spared him a soft smile at the surprised look in his eyes then turned back to face the spirit. "We're good now so you don't have to worry about him anymore-I'll look out for him now."

"_If only that were true," Tom thought sadly then spoke aloud to the medium. "Tell him that was true until Schiller's attack but since then a wedge has been growing steadily between them."_

Eric licked his dry lips in trepidation; he wasn't sure how the agent was going to react to his words then took a sip of tea before relaying Tom's message. "Tom says that despite the fact that your bond has grown stronger you have begun to drift apart since my uncle's attack."He swallowed hard as not one but two pair of angry brown eyes suddenly glared at him.

"That's not true!" Charlie exclaimed heatedly thumping his fist on the table to emphasize his statement.

"How so?" Don growled in a dangerously quiet voice.

Feeling more threatened by the agents menacing tone than the younger man's open anger Eric quickly turned to the ghost at his side. "Tom?"

"_Tell him that because of his fears for Charlie's safety and his unwarranted feelings of guilt he has begun to push Charlie away again." A tinge of desperation touched the spirit's voice as he added." Tell him that I was with them that morning when he shot your uncle and I know that he didn't have any choice but to kill the man and shooting him in the head was the only way he could be sure that he wouldn't hit Charlie too. There was no way that he could have known that Ludwig had decided to take his own life."_

"Tom says that you have started to push your brother away again because of your fears for his safety and because of your unwarranted feelings of guilt." Eric paused momentarily to remember the rest of the spirits words then pushed forward. "He says that you have nothing to feel guilty about because you had no way of knowing that my uncle had decided to kill himself instead of your brother and….." Eric stammered to a halt as the words he had just said sank in. "Wait…" he said turning to look first at the agent and then at the ghost. "Is that true…was he going to shoot himself instead of the professor? "At Tom's nod he shared a tremulous smile with Petra and Marta then sighed sadly. "I …I hadn't heard that before. I wish Papa could have known before he died," he added wistfully.

"He was," Don affirmed slowly, an astonished look on his face. "That information was never made public so the only way that you could have known was if someone who was there told you about it." The agent shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry but I had no other choice. Ludwig's' back was facing me and when he raised his gun I thought that he was aiming at my brother."

"Don couldn't see him…he was facing me," Charlie interrupted passionately. "It was in those last few minutes before dawn that his sanity returned and with it the realization of what he had done. He said he couldn't live with himself after what he had done and put the gun under his own chin but before he could pull the trigger the last chime rang out and my brother had to shoot him." Charlie swallowed hard and looked away and then back again. "You see your uncle had told us that he was going to kill me at dawn so when that last chime rang out Don knew that he had run out of time."

"Oh, my God," Hank spoke up suddenly his eyes filled with concern. "No wonder you and Don reacted the way you did when you heard the chimes."

Eric nodded slowly then his face suddenly paled as he realized why the brothers and Tom had reacted so strongly to his uncle's pocket watch. Slowly he pulled the object from his pocket and with a trembling hand laid it in the middle of the table. When the medium raised his head there were unshed tears glistening in his eyes.

"Now…now I understand why such a delicate and beautiful watch is able to strike fear into your hearts," he said softly. "Please forgive me…I...I did not know." Eric turned and glared accusingly at the ghost. "You should have told me."

"_If I had told you," Tom replied stiffly, his eyes fixed firmly on the watch. "You would not have brought it and we needed it to get their attention."_

"But…but he tortured them with it!" Eric hissed his stomach churning with revulsion; had there been no limit to his uncle's cruelty?

"_And me!" Tom spat out, his pale blue eyes flashing angrily. "As well as the other six people that he killed….let's not forget them! The last sound that any of us heard before he pulled the trigger was that damned watch. There was nothing that we could do but stand there and listen to it peal out the last five minutes of our lives!" _

Marta suddenly jumped to her feet and rushed to the bathroom, a hand clasped firmly over her mouth as several people at the table took advantage of the moment to sip at their tea or coffee in a desperate attempt to wash the bile from their own throats. The door opened a moment later and Marta emerged wiping her chin with the back of her hand. The group watched silently as she resumed her seat and mumbled an apology to everyone.

"Are you okay, dear," Petra asked worriedly, leaning around her husband to see her clearly.

"I'm fine Mama," she lied. "I feel much better now."

"_I'm sorry," Tom told her quietly. "I shouldn't have blurted it out that way."_

"Do not be sorry, Tom," she replied, meeting his gaze as a tear ran down her cheek. "What he did to you and the others and ….and the Eppes was so….so…sick…and inhumane…..that I am ashamed to call him my great uncle."

"As am I, daughter," Eric whispered, lowering his head.

"You cannot blame yourselves for the actions of your Uncle," Alan said quietly, sympathizing with the Schiller's. "The man was insane and only he can be held accountable for the murders that he committed."

"_I cannot explain it," Tom spoke up suddenly, glancing nervously around the room, "but I have a feeling that I am running out of time. Please, we must continue."_

"Tell me what else you want to say, Tom," The medium asked as both he and Marta cautiously scanned the room; there was still nothing to be seen but they could sense the restlessness of the unseen entity.

"_Tell Don that he must put the fear of dawn behind him; he awakens every morning before daybreak and relives the nightmare except in his mind his bullet goes through Schiller and kills Charlie too." He eyed the agent sadly. "Only then will he be able to stop the rift that is forming between them….it's the fear of what could have happened that is tearing them apart."_

Sadness filled Erik's eyes as he looked at the agent; his Uncles' unspeakable acts still tormented the man and he hoped fervently that Tom's words could help him put those horrors to rest.

"Agent Eppes, Tom says that to find peace you must first put the fear of daybreak behind you. He knows that you awaken every morning just before dawn and relive the nightmare that my Uncle put you through except that he says in your waking nightmare your bullet passes through my Uncle and kills your brother as well."

Don's face paled as he gasped out. "How…how do you know that? I've told no one!"

"Don, is this true?" Charlie asked worriedly, visibly shaken to learn that his brother was also having trouble facing those last five minutes before dawn.

"Yes," Don whispered, appalled that his secret was now out in the open.

"Tom says that it's the fear of what could have happened that is forming the rift between you and that you are pushing your brother away because you are afraid that it might come true," Eric leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as he desperately tried to get the agent understand the spirits message. "Tom says that you must let that fear go so that your bond can remain strong."

Before Don could reply several loud, shrill rings echoed around the small café and since everyone had been so engrossed in Schiller's words they all jumped at the sound. Seconds later a collective sigh of relief morphed into nervous laughter as Don fumbled for his cell phone.

Embarrassed, the agent checked the I.D. of the caller then pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. With an apologetic look and a mumbled "Sorry, guys, I gotta take this" he strode hurriedly for the front door.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

Seasons

By

1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: I appreciate your reviews.

Chapter 23:

"Wait….Don…don't….where are you going?" Tom cried out desperately as the agent rushed from the café. The spirit raced around the table in an effort to catch up to his friend but stumbled to a halt as he neared the front door.

Wait…was that movement behind the cash register counter? Tom looked again…but there was no one there. "_Maybe its Don_," he thought but a quick glance out of the window was enough to show him that his friend was standing under the street light. Suddenly fearful that he'd let the threatening entity get past him Tom spun around to face the dark corner expecting to find it empty but was both surprised and relieved to discover that he could still sense the malevolent presence lurking deep within the dense shadows.

Maybe someone had gotten up from the table? A quick look proved that theory wrong too; everyone save Don was still sitting at the table. Tom glanced over his shoulder at the counter and this time there was no mistaking the faint form standing in the shadows. Most of the apparition was hidden behind the cash register but Tom could just make out the shape of an arm. Who was it…if the evil specter hadn't moved…..then who was standing behind the counter?

Unlike the menacing aura given off by the first phantom Tom had no sense of a threat from the second one but he did feel an overwhelming sense of despair and anguish radiating from it. Tom's eyes darted back to the group around the table; oblivious to the new arrival they had lapsed into an uneasy silence while waiting for Don's return. From their positions at the table Erik and Marta could not have seen the newcomer so he decided to deal with its appearance by himself. He had no fear of this one but he was becoming irritated; in the months following his death he had never encountered any other ghosts and now they were literally coming out of the woodwork.

"Why now?" he growled angrily. The last thing he needed was more interference…this couldn't be happening…not when he was so close to seeing his plan full-filled. With this in mind he clenched his jaw and strode angrily toward the counter-no one was allowed to interfere with his plans…no one!

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tom demanded sharply but still managed to keep his voice low enough so that the mediums couldn't hear him.

The newcomer had his back to Tom and didn't respond to his question; white haired and bent with age its head swiveled from side to side as if it was searching the shadows for something that he'd lost.

"I said," Tom hissed moving closer to the man's ear. "What do you want?"

Startled the ghost jumped then slowly turned around; white, wispy hair framed the wrinkled, care-worn face that met the younger spirit's angry gaze. "I…I'm sorry," the phantom apologized as he attempted to adjust the wired-rimmed spectacles that he'd knocked askew when Tom surprised him. His gnarled old hands shook as he struggled to right his glasses so it was several minutes before he was able to meet the younger mans eyes. "I…I didn't mean to intrude."

Tom frowned, his anger dissipating rapidly at the obvious distress of the old man. "Well you have," the spirit replied softening his tone a bit when he noticed the tears on the old man's cheeks. "What are you searching for?"

"I'm looking for a little boy." The ghost said in a near whisper."Perhaps you have seen him?" His expression changed to one of hope as he described the child to Tom. "He stands about this high," the ghost said holding his hand about four feet above the floor, "and he has a head full of blonde hair that hangs a little long over his ears."

"_The boy must have been his grandson," Tom thought gazing sadly at the old man. "I wonder if they died in the same accident."_ "No. I haven't seen him," he replied softly regretting the harsh tone that he'd taken with the distressed phantom earlier.

The old ghost shook his head in bewilderment as he gazed about the room, a lost and confused look in his eyes. "I…I don't understand. I've been looking for him for such a long time then something led me here and I was so sure that I would finally find him."

"I'm sorry old man," Tom answered gently his voice full of sympathy, "but I haven't seen any little boys around here." He turned and pointed at Erik and Marta. "See those two people over there….that man and the young woman?"

The old man's pale eyes darted toward the table then he stumbled backwards, eyes widening with surprise as if noticing for the first time that there were actually living people in the room.

"They can see and hear us so if you'll just be patient and wait here until they've finished with me then I'm sure they'll help you too."

"Really?" The old man replied; narrowing his eyes as he drifted further into the shadows. "I'll just wait over here."

Satisfied that the old ghost would do as he was told Tom nodded and turned to leave but as his eyes drifted over the corner where the menacing entity was hiding a thought occurred to him; glancing back at the old man he added.

"I'd stay away from there if I were you," he warned pointing to the back corner of the restaurant. "There's another ghost hiding over there but it's twisted….or evil…or something ...trust me on this you really don't want to have anything to do with it."

"I know…I can feel it too," the old phamton replied fearfully. "Don't worry… I have no intention of going near it."

"Good, "Tom called over his shoulder as he stepped out from behind the counter to follow Don outside.

0000000000

Don glanced through the window of the café and studied Eric and Marta; he had to admit that if they were con artists they were the best that he'd ever come across and with his extensive career in the FBI that was saying something. He wasn't a profiler but he could usually tell when someone was lying to him and he just wasn't seeing the normal tell-tale signs of a liar; Don's gut on the other hand was leading him toward a conclusion that was to say the least, beyond belief, far-fetched and inconceivable. The agent rubbed the back of his neck as he mulled over the events of the evening. Within his mind reality warred with the unimaginable and at that moment he just couldn't fully accept Erik's statements' as the complete truth. Don had this nagging thought at the back of his mind that the man was hiding something from them and he needed to know what it was before he could come to any resolution on the matter.

Given his age it was quite possible that Erik had become quite skillful at hiding the tell tale signs of lying but the girl was just too young to have become that accomplished a liar. And then there was Petra-the woman had clearly been distressed at times and even though she claimed that she couldn't see Tom's ghost herself it was obvious that she truly believed that the entity was in the room with them.

"Sooo….does that mean that I believe that Tom's ghost is really talking to us," he murmured under his breath as he watched the Schiller's through the glass. The agent shook himself as if to clear his head then muttered sarcastically. "Or maybe they're all just really good actors."

Don hit the speed dial on his phone and waited for Sinclair to answer; needing a few minutes to collect himself he'd let the call go to his voicemail. The agent was on edge so while he listened to David's report on the Schiller's he continually paced back and forth between the streetlight and the café window.

"Uh huh…right….really?" Don replied casting a nervous glance in Erik Schiller's direction. David's call couldn't have come at a more appropriate time; the medium's last words still had him reeling. More than a little unsettled by what the man had told him, Don was doing his best to get a grip on reality. "You don't say. Yeah…thanks for getting back to me so quickly. See ya in a couple of days." The agent disconnected the call and absently slid the phone into his jacket pocket; David's information was surprising and unexpected to say the least.

The distant cry of a nighthawk caught his attention; tilting his head upward he searched the night sky for the elusive bird. It wasn't too difficult to find since a full moon had risen during the time that they'd spent inside the restaurant and he could easily follow the bird's flight until it disappeared into the darker shadows of the monolith. He shivered suddenly rubbing his arms briskly as he gazed at the massive black shape; there was a definite chill to the air but he had an uneasy feeling that it wasn't from the setting of the sun.

The agent's brown eyes darted back toward the window just in time to meet those of his brothers. Charlie was sitting with his back facing the window but he had twisted around in his seat so that he could see what Don was doing. Charlie had a hopeful look in his eyes-a look that meant that he fully expected his big brother to return with information that would prove once and for all that the Schiller's were indeed the charlatans that he believed them to be. Unable to hold his gaze Don scrubbed a hand through his hair and looked away; still shaken by the things that Schiller had told him. There was no way the man could have possibly known those things about him….unless…unless….was he really ready to go there? Was he really and truly ready to believe that the ghost of his friend was in the café?

"_I don't know what to think myself, buddy_," he thought as he opened the door and crossed the floor to the table with the ghost of Thomas Hill unknowingly at his side.

"That was David…right?" Charlie whispered eagerly as soon as the agent sat down."Do they have a record?"

"Yeah, that was David," Don replied softly then glanced sideways at his brother. "He did find out some information but it's not what you were expecting, buddy."

Charlie frowned then leaned closer. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'd like to know what Sinclair found out too, Don," Hank spoke up suddenly from the end of the table.

"Sinclair?" Faye asked, leaning around Alan to view the agent. "Who's Sinclair and what does he have to do with this?"

Don cleared his throat then glanced around the table; everyone was staring at him and waiting for an answer. From their expressions it was obvious to him that all of them, with the exception of the three Schiller's and Faye, had figured out the reason for the call.

"David Sinclair is one of my agents and before I came in here tonight I called my office and asked him to do a background check on Mr. Schiller."

"That was to be expected Agent Eppes," Erik replied smoothly then turned to the Sheriff. "I assume that you did as well."

"I would have," Hank admitted, "but it's Sunday night and my office is closed." He shrugged his shoulders and added. "We don't exactly have the resources of the F.B.I."

Erik nodded his understanding then his eyes darted back to Don. "So now you know that we are telling you the truth….right?

The agent cleared his throat and admitted quietly. "Your story does check out."

"What?" Charlie graced him with an incredulous look; his eyebrows disappearing beneath the curls on his forehead. "Don, you can't be serious?"

His brother shrugged then scratched his beard before responding. "According to David, Erik Schiller is a wealthy industrialist and humanitarian. He is well-known for his generosity…and for his unusual ability to speak with the dead."

Charlie was speechless; this was insane-there was no scientific proof of the paranormal-none whatsoever; this wasn't the news that he'd expected to hear.

Don studied the man sitting across from him then leaned forward. "Why did you come here, Mr. Schiller? It's obvious that it's not for the money so what do you get out of this?"

Schiller flushed, his eyes darting away then back again."I…I told you why…to help Tom."

Charlie tilted his head to the side as a thought occurred to him. "Did you visit the families of your uncle's other victims?"

Erik swallowed and shook his head. "Some of them-not all wanted to speak with us."

"Might I inquire if you helped the other victims cross-over?" Larry asked, cupping his chin as he rested his elbow on the table.

"Tom is the only one who came to us." The medium replied quietly. "The others must have crossed into the light themselves."

"Hmm?"Alan huffed. "Why do you suppose that was?"

Erik shrugged. "Tom had unfinished business, perhaps the others did not."

"Sooo…Tom has been with you ever since he died?" Amita asked, tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear.

"Actually no," Erik said. "Tom didn't show up until I received the rest of Ludwig's things from the FBI."He glanced at Petra for confirmation. "That was roughly three months ago…I think."

"Yes," his wife agreed. "Three months."

"This watch was the only thing of Ludwig's' that I had decided to keep for myself," Erik murmured fingering the watch as it lay on the table. "I thought it was just a beautiful piece of workmanship….but now I know it to be as tainted as its owner." The medium slowly withdrew his hand then stared at the watch silently for a few minutes before realizing that everyone was waiting for him to continue. "Ah…," he cleared his throat slightly embarrassed at his lapse. "Often times a departed soul will attach itself to an object and Tom appeared to me the first time that I opened the watch." A look of profound regret crossed the man's features. "To me the chimes were melodious and beautiful and I foolishly thought that was why his spirit appeared…but now I know the ugly truth of it," his mouth twisted with distaste, "and understand his look of revulsion…and yours whenever it plays."

Don found the look in the man's emphatic eyes slightly disconcerting but he needed answers so he forced himself to forge ahead. "My agent also said," he continued with a pointed look at the medium, "that you were the force behind the closing of the institute where your uncle was raised."

Schiller's face grew dark, his eyes darting away momentarily before meeting Don's gaze again. "That place," he snarled, "was supposed to be an institute for higher learning but in reality it was a house of torture. My Father, May God rest his soul, maintained that Ludwig became the man he was because of the ill treatment that he received while he was there."Erik leaned forward, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. "He was only seven when he was taken there against his will-the youngest child ever brought to that foul establishment. Ludwig may have been a mathematical prodigy but he was also a little boy that needed nurturing." Erik paused then took a deep breath to calm his emotions before he spoke again. "The people who ran that institute believed in corporal punishment and _**caned **_their students over the slightest infractions so you can imagine how a child would fare in their hands."

"_Telling this story will not make me feel pity for him," Tom cried out bitterly. "The man killed me-his story does not change that!"_

Erik tilted his head upward so that he could see the ghost clearly. "Tom, it was not my intent to make excuses for what my uncle did to you or the others. I merely wanted to explain why I fought to have that horrid place shut down." Receiving questionable glances from those around the table Schiller tried to explain. "Tom is upset with me because he thought that I was trying to make excuses for the heinous acts perpetrated by my uncle but I am not….that cannot be done. After my father passed away I interviewed many of the alumni from that institute who were eager to see justice prevail and with their help the truth was finally told and that terrible place was finally closed." He sighed heavily and wiped away an errant tear. "When the truth was finally revealed there was such an outcry by the academic community that the building was torn down-never again will children of any age become a victim at their hands. The abuse hidden behind that façade of _**higher learning**_ has finally come to an end."

"How awful," Emily murmured clasping a hand to her cheek. "Those poor children being caned like that-I can't imagine how terrible that must have been for them."

"You know, Emily, "Faye said leaning forward suddenly as a thought occurred to her. "The other day I saw a TV special on abused children and was surprised to learn that in many cases the victims grow up to become abusers themselves." She paused; a questioning light in her eyes. "If that's true how does one break the cycle of violence?"

Emily patted her hand with a sad smile on her face. "I'm sure that there are a lot of people smarter than you and I who are trying to figure out the answer to that one, my dear."

Charlie shifted around in his chair, suddenly becoming very uncomfortable with the subject; they were getting dangerously close to a topic that he had no desire to discuss. He felt Don's hand on his arm and glanced sideways at his brother; that gentle squeeze on his forearm…that quiet reassurance lent him the strength that he needed to face what was ahead.

Erik noticed; the color began to drain from his face as a horrible thought occurred to him. Gripping the tea cup in his hands to steady himself he glanced sideways at Tom then whispered in a voice filled with dread. "He caned you, didn't he?"

"_This isn't the reason that we are here tonight," Tom growled, trying to change the subject. "We've gotten off track and I need to make sure that Don understands so that I can talk to Charlie."_

Erik squeezed his eyes shut; he'd known the truth even before Tom refused to answer him. He'd seen the pain in the young professors eyes as their discussion stirred his memory-had seen him flinch at the mention of the dreaded word…and yet he still needed to hear someone confirm it; opening his eyes he stared into the dark and troubled eyes of Don Eppes.

"My uncle …he…ah..he caned all of his victims, didn't he?"

Don stared at him for a moment then nodded at the empty space behind the mediums chair. "Why don't you ask Tom?"

"I did but he refused to answer me." Erik replied thickly, swallowing hard to fight the bile that was beginning to creep back into his throat. "Please tell me…. I need to know the truth."

"Yeah…he did." Don answered in a clipped voice while he studied the man thoughtfully; not only was he starting to feel sorry for the man but he found himself beginning to like him as well.

"Oh, papa, no! It can't be true…can it?" Marta cried out tearfully grabbing her father's hand. Her eyes darted to Tom who looked away without saying a word then to Charlie who refused to meet her gaze. She'd thought that the way Ludwig had tortured them with the watch had been bad enough but to physically beat them before he killed them sent shivers down her spine. How could she be related to such a monster? She wished that they'd never come there. Marta could see the horror in her father's eyes and knew that he was asking himself that same question. Petra had covered her mouth with one hand, her face contorted with the shocking truth while she gripped her husband's hand tightly with the other. Marta swallowed thickly; grateful that her stomach was already empty.

"_Now is the time,"_ Don thought as he observed the reactions of the Schiller's; forcing his emotions aside he slipped into his FBI persona to get the answer to that nagging question that was troubling him.

TBC


	24. Chapter 24

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: I appreciate your reviews

Chapter 24:

Faye shivered then frowned as she cast a puzzled glance at the thermostat on the wall_. "Why is it so cold in here?" _

Her small café was well known throughout Wenatchee County for its warm, friendly atmosphere and delicious meals. The quaint little eatery with its tables covered in flowery tablecloths and vases full of fresh orange honeysuckles placed about the room normally projected a cheerful and tranquil atmosphere for her patrons but tonight she, along with her guests, felt ill at ease. She could see it on everyone's faces; there was tightness around their eyes and stiffness to their movements as they nervously glanced around the room. It was as if they all had a sense of foreboding-some strong inner feeling that something unnatural was about to happen but were powerless to prevent it from taking place. Faye's eyes flickered to the sheriff's face; even stalwart Hank, who she had come to believe could handle any situation seemed on edge and vulnerable- it was as if even he was out of his element …and knew it. But then, Faye thought as she shifted nervously in her chair. _"It wasn't every night that they spoke with the dead."_

Don had been questioning the medium but had gone quiet; mulling over the man's responses while everyone else silently followed their conversation-all eager to hear the agent's conclusions.

Taking advantage of the brief respite she suppressed a shudder and rose quietly from her chair then padded softly over to the wall where the thermostat hung. Much to her surprise the needle was hovering over the 75 degree mark which meant that the room should have been more than comfortable for everyone…and yet there was a distinct chill to the air that she couldn't account for. The dual temperature gauge displayed an outside temperature of 60 degrees which was normal for that time of year so although it was cool outside it wasn't cold enough to warrant raising the inside temperature. Puzzled she tapped at the dial to see if it would move but it remained firmly in place at the 75 degree mark. She glanced out of the large bay window to see if there was a strong wind that might drive the temperature down but it seemed that even the gentle breeze that they had enjoyed earlier in the day had ceased to blow-not even a leaf was stirring. Baffled by the unexplained chill that permeated her café Faye's eyes drifted toward the dark corner where the medium had said an angry and tormented spirit was hiding then shivered again as the hair on her arms seemed to stand on edge. Schiller had convinced her that Tom's spirit was really there so….didn't that mean that she also had to accept the fact that the other ghost was there as well? Was it the source of the unpleasant coldness and the ominous feeling that had infected all of them?

Tearing her eyes from the dark shadows of the corner Faye rubbed her arms briskly then picked up a shawl that had been lying on a stool beneath the thermostat; tossing it around her shoulders she rejoined the others just as Don began to speak again.

"What are you hiding from us, Mr. Schiller?" The agent asked his dark eyes hard and probing. "I've been in law enforcement for a long time now and I totally get why you sought the destruction of the institute and brought those responsible to justice but this," he waved his hand to encompass the whole table, "is a mystery to me. I can't quite figure you out. You drag your family to the other side of the world, put them in uncomfortable positions by seeking out the relatives of your uncles victims, all the while knowing that you'll probably be met with rejection and anger but you do it anyway. "Don leaned forward tapping his fingertips on the table for emphasis. "You say that you're doing this for Tom's spirit but people don't go to this extreme for strangers…even ghostly ones-unless there is something in it for them. So I'll ask you again…what's in it for you."

"Ah…hmm ...what did you say?" Erik asked gracing the agent with a confused look; the medium was still trying to come to terms with the fact that his uncle had caned all of his victims.

"Why are you treating him like this?" Marta cried out angrily. "You…you're treating him like a criminal and all he's done is tried to help you!"

"Shh….shh now daughter." Erik said soothingly while he patted her hand. "He….ah…Agent Eppes is correct. I have not been totally honest with them."

Petra leaned closer to her husband, a look of surprise in her eyes. "Erik, what are you saying?"

"Papa?"

The medium let out a heavy sigh then his eyes drifted to the people sitting around the table. "I confess that my motives for seeking you out have not been entirely selfless."

"_You lied to me!" Tom cried out angrily, taking up a position behind Don. "You said that you wanted to help me!"_

Schiller shook his head rapidly in denial, his eyes drifting to the empty space behind Don's chair. "No, Tom I didn't lie to you. My main reason for coming here was…and still is… to help you find the closure that you need so that you can step into the light."

_Tom's brow creased in puzzlement. "I don't understand then. What else could you gain from coming here?"_

"Care to share?" Don asked coolly, impatiently tapping his fingers on the table.

Erik's eyes dropped to the agents face then flickered around the table. Nervously he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket; removing his glasses he wiped the sweat from his face and slowly put them back on as he began to speak. "You see, Agent Eppes, along with helping Tom I had hoped that I might have a chance to make amends." He sighed heavily then raised his head to meet Don's gaze. "It was my most fervent hope that I could somehow help ease some of the pain that my uncle had inflicted and in doing so perhaps atone a little for his heinous actions."

"Listen to me, Mr. Schiller," Alan said, leaning closer to catch the mediums eye. "You cannot atone for a sin that you didn't commit. This was your uncle's sin not yours and it is too late for him. As I said before, you are not responsible for his actions."

"Yes…yes I know but how would you feel if a relative of yours, albeit one that you had never met, had committed such atrocities?" Schiller argued passionately, his eyes drifting from face to face. "Would you not feel some guilt as well just because you were related and shared the same last name?"

No one spoke and in the silence that followed he folded his hands together on the table in front of him then stared at them with a forlorn look in his eyes. He shook his head slowly and in a hopeless tone continued on. "I had hoped to put an end to the suffering of one of his victims and to help ease the pain of another but after learning the degree of my uncle's depravity I don't see how I can help matters…and I fear that I may have made them worse by inadvertently ripping open the scars that he so violently created." His eyes flickered to Charlie's face and the pained expression he saw in the younger man's eyes laid proof to his words. "I'm so sorry." Erik whispered brokenly

Charlie's emotions were too close to the surface for him to reply so he swallowed hard and merely gave the man a quick nod before looking away.

As Don listened to the medium's confession his remaining doubts began to slip away-his gut telling him that the man was baring it all and telling the truth. If he accepted that fact then that meant that he also had to believe that the ghost of his friend, Thomas Hill, was really there in the room with them. The agent glanced to his right and could tell from the look in Larry's eyes that he'd accepted the man's words as truth. His eyes flitted to meet Robins and he did a double-take; gone was the hard-lined, skeptical district attorney expression that had been so prevalent throughout the evening- in its stead was one of amazement; she had come to the same conclusion that he had.

The expressions on the faces of Faye, Emily and Hank were identical; total unconditional acceptance of everything that Erik Schiller had told them but there was a hint of something else too… _fear of the unknown_? Don caught his Dad's eye and took a steadying breath; Alan believed-it was as simple as that. Amita's brown eyes were full of compassion and astonishment; the medium had convinced her too.

Finally the agent twisted in his seat to face his brother …and paused; Charlie wasn't convinced yet. Don could see the turmoil in his eyes; there was a war of logic and faith raging within his brother's incredible mind and he couldn't tell which side was winning. Don opened his mouth, hesitated then cleared his throat before saying softly. "I've got to go with my gut, buddy. Go with me on this one?" he asked, his dark eyes pleading silently.

Charlie's head titled sideways, eyebrows drawing tightly together as he searched his brother's face. After a moment he simply nodded and remained silent.

"Thanks," Don whispered gratefully then turned to face the medium. "Where is Tom standing now?"

Schiller's head jerked up instantly a surprised and hopeful gleam in his eyes "You…you believe me now?"

"Yes…yes I do," Don answered raising eyebrows all around the table. "You've told me too many things that only Tom and I could have possibly known and only Robin was aware that I had started having nightmares again." He paused to glance around the room. "Sooo…ah…Mr. Schiller, is his spirit still here?"

"Please call me Erik." The medium pleaded in a voice full of emotion. "I'd…I'd prefer not to hear my last name for a while."

"Alright, Erik," Don conceded feeling sorry for the man. "Tom is still here, right?"

"Oh, yes indeed. Thomas was standing beside of your chair a moment ago but has now moved to this side of the table so that he can face you." Schiller answered excitedly as he watched the ghost come to a halt by his chair.

"Tom," the agent said staring at the empty space behind the mediums chair. "You're right. As much as I hate to admit it I have been pushing Charlie away."

"Don?" Charlie said suddenly gripping his brother by the wrist. _Was he really admitting that_ _he didn't want to be around him?_ "Are you saying that you've been deliberately avoiding me?"

"Not deliberately, Charlie," Don said quietly, his voice cracking with emotion from the hurt look on his brother's face. "I don't think that I even realized that I was doing it until Tom brought it up… it was more on a subconscious level." Frustrated the agent scrubbed a hand through his hair as he tried to explain. "You see a few months ago an LAPD officer accidentally shot his sister in a similar hostage situation and that's when the nightmares began again and as they continued to get worse I worried about bringing you in on any of our cases." Robins hand found its way into his and he squeezed it tightly, savoring her support. "Then I started hearing the chimes again….every morning just before dawn and now it doesn't matter whether I am awake or asleep I relive those last five minutes all over again." His eyes darted across the table. "That was one reason why I reacted so strongly when you played the watch this afternoon Erik- I thought that somehow my nightmares were coming true." Don turned to his brother. "I'm sorry, buddy…I didn't mean to hurt you."

"That's...ah…that's okay, Don," Charlie quickly replied releasing his hold on the agent. "I…I understand now."

Don regarded him thoughtfully then briefly faced the medium again before lifting his eyes to the empty space behind the man's chair. "Thank you, Tom," he said earnestly, his lips turning upward in a sad smile. "I think I get it now and you don't have to worry about anything coming between Charlie and me anymore."

_A look of immense relief crossed Tom's features and he smiled for the first time that evening. "Could you please tell Don that I know he'll always be there for Charlie and that I doubt that I could have ever been as good a brother to him as he has become."_

_While Erik relayed his message Tom stared at the mathematician then sighed heavily when he still saw doubt reflecting in his brown eyes. Charlie wasn't as confident as he was before but Tom could tell that his friend still wasn't ready to fully accept something that he couldn't see or prove mathematically._

"_That is sooo like you, Charlie" he murmured fondly then casually crossed his arms and grinned as he remembered how stubborn his friend had been at times then chuckled loudly. "Oh, Charlie, you always could be a pain in the ass if something couldn't be proven scientifically." _

"You've got that right," Don chortled good-naturedly reaching over to ruffle his brother's curls. The agent's unexpected reaction relieved some of the tension and quiet chuckles echoed around the room.

_Tom looked down at Erik in surprise."I didn't mean for you to repeat that last remark._

The medium flushed with embarrassment. "Ah…sorry. I guess I got carried away."

Noting Charlie's silence Don's grin faded then he squeezed his brother's shoulder worriedly. "You okay, buddy?"

Wide-eyed and speechless Charlie stared at Schiller then cast a slow glance around the table; lips suddenly dry. "Ah," he coughed to clear his throat then rubbed his chin nervously. "Tom used to tell me that whenever he…ah…thought that I was being extremely stubborn."

Surprised looks and low murmurs' erupted around the table as all but one of them began to discuss this latest revelation. While the others talked something or someone else had caught the mathematician's attention.

The color drained from Charlie's face as he stared at the empty space behind Erik's chair. He leaned further over the table then abruptly rubbed at his eyes as if to clear them. "_Am I_ _imagining it_? "he thought to himself and was amazed that no one else seemed to notice the barely discernible figure standing behind the mediums chair. Was it possible? Perhaps it was just a shadow of something in the room or maybe it was the way the moonlight played through the glass of the bay window that cast the illusion of someone standing there. He let out a slow breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding and continued to stare at the faint vision.

Charlie couldn't explain it but he could almost swear that Tom was standing across from him… just as he had in life.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for your reviews

_Chapter 25:_

"_Charlie?" Tom asked, his pale blue eyes lighting up with astonishment. "Can you see me?" The spirit was elated; the shocked expression on his friend's face could only mean one thing; Charlie really __**could**__ see him. He moved slowly to the other side of Erik's chair and watched with eager anticipation as Charlie's eyes tracked his movements._

"_He can see me," Tom said in a voice choked with emotion. "Charlie can see me."_

"What?" Erik asked sharply turning slightly to look up at the spirit.

"_Look," Thomas said, nodding toward the mathematician with his chin. _

The medium immediately turned in the direction of the youngest Eppes and noting the stunned expression on the young man's face leaned forward excitedly. "Tom says that you can see him….it's true, isn't it?"

All heads swiveled in Charlie's direction.

Transfixed by the translucent figure Charlie didn't answer right away instead he nervously rubbed his brow before tearing his gaze away from the image. He glanced sideways at Amita noting her concerned expression then lifted his head eyes darting from face to face. They were all looking at him waiting for him to deny the accusation. He swallowed hard. _Could they not see him too_? He began to sweat; his thoughts racing wildly through his mind. Had it finally happened? It was a well known fact that people with higher cognitive functions were more susceptible to mental illness…..so… had it finally happened to him. Was this what it was like to have a mental break? Had he, Charles Edward Eppes, finally crossed that dreaded threshold …that finite line that separates a genius from madness? His hand slipped to his chin and he absently began to rub it as his gaze returned to the pale blue eyes of Thomas Hill-a dead man. This was madness-it defied all logic and yet….he could clearly see him. As if from a distance he could hear the voices of those around him but he could only focus on the vision returning his gaze.

"Charlie?" Amita asked worriedly taking his free hand in hers. "Charlie, what's wrong?"

Alan leaned around Amita frowning at the expression on his youngest son's face. "You okay, son?"

"Buddy, is it true? Can you see Tom?" Don asked turning sideways to get a better look at his brother.

The mathematician ignored them all and squeezed his eyes shut telling himself that when he reopened them the vision of his friend would no longer be there but a few seconds later when he opened them again the transparent figure was still standing before him. It was disconcerting to say the least, to see Tom and be able see through him at the same time and although the figure was just a pale image of how Tom used to look…it was nevertheless _still_ Tom.

"Hmm….," Charlie mumbled then tried again but although he licked his dry lips several times and cleared his throat his voice still squeaked out at a higher octave than usual. "Ah…can any of you ….ah…see anything behind Erik's chair?"

All but Erik and Marta shifted their gazes to the seemingly empty space behind the mediums chair.

"Look really close," Charlie pleaded desperately. They had to see him…they just had too! For what seemed like an eternity Charlie waited with bated breath, praying silently that the others could see Tom too and that he wasn't going insane.

Suddenly the quiet room erupted with gasps and exclamations of "Oh, _my God,"_ _I don't believe it_" and "_It's really true_" as everyone around the table began to see the ghostly image of Thomas Hill.

Charlie exhaled a relieved breath-he wasn't crazy after all…unless there was such a thing as mass-insanity.

"This is amazing," Erik said suddenly, looking around the table. "You can all see him too?"

"Are you saying that nothing like this has ever happened before?" Alan asked gruffly, scratching his chin nervously while gazing at Tom.

"No…never!" the medium answered emphatically then noticing their shocked and frightened looks he quickly added. "Please do not be afraid…Tom won't hurt you."

"Papa, I don't understand?" Marta asked. "How is this possible and if they can see him now then why couldn't they see him before?"

"I do not know, daughter," Erik answered thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is because there are two spirits here tonight." He shrugged his shoulders and put a hand to his chin. "Perhaps it is the combination of both of their spiritual energies that is making Tom visible to everyone now."

"_Three," Tom corrected quietly with a nod toward the counter. "There's an old man hiding in the shadows behind the cash register. He says that he's looking for a little boy."_

"Really? Another one?" Erik exclaimed in surprise as he glanced in the direction of the counter only to become distracted when he noticed that everyone else had turned toward the counter as well; the third spirit forgotten he eagerly leaned across the table. His eyes darted from face to face as they turned back around. "You…you can hear him too …can't you?"

No one answered at first then Charlie pushed his chair back and slowly rose to his feet. "Yes," he answered quietly, meeting Erik's gaze. "We can hear him too." His eyes drifted upward until they settled on Tom then his lips spread upward in a sad smile. "Hey, Tom." The young man swallowed hard then added. "I've missed you."

"Hey, Charlie." Tom said and began to walk around the table to face his friend. He couldn't believe it-this was so much more than he had hoped for.

The sounds of scrapping chairs resounded around the café as everyone else scrambled to their feet. They all quickly formed a semi-circle behind the mathematician so that they had a clear view of the spirit.

"Why he doesn't look fearful at all," Petra tisked as she watched Tom slowly circle the table.

"Mama, you can see him too?" Marta asked, sharing a surprised look with her father.

"Yes," Petra grinned. "Isn't it nice that I can finally see one of them too?"

"I don't believe it," Erik murmured softly then with a shake of his head turned his attention back to the ghost.

Charlie couldn't take his eyes off of the approaching apparition. A faint luminescent light seemed to emanate from him casting an eerie glow about the room. "It's funny," he thought with mild surprise. "I should be terrified but I'm not afraid of him- whatever he is…he's still Tom."

The spirit came to a standstill a few feet in front of the mathematician. The two friends faced each other silently; one alive and one dead. Two people that had once shared joy and laughter, heartache and pain and through it all had remained steadfast and loyal to one another. Two lives ripped apart by the same violent hand that had nearly consumed them both.

Charlie stared in fascination at the specter before him then tentatively stretched out a finger to touch it.

"Careful, Charlie," Don warned quietly taking a step closer to his brother.

"Tom would never hurt me, Don," Charlie said softly as his friend's ghostly finger touched his. It was an odd sensation; it was almost as if he could feel him….but not. How could he exist if he had no physical properties? Charlie himself had released the man's ashes to the winds above Mt. St Helens so he knew without a doubt that Tom no longer existed and yet he clearly stood before him. A profound feeling of loss and sadness enveloped him then; his arm falling listlessly at his side.

"I'm so sorry, Tom," he whispered brokenly, a single tear coursing down his cheek. "I should have figured it out sooner."

"_It wasn't your fault, Charlie," Tom said with a slight shake of his head. "There wasn't anything that you could have done. I know that you blame yourself for my death because you didn't have time to work on the case right way but it wouldn't have made any difference. Don't you see? Schiller was moving too fast and by the time that you told the FBI that there was a serial killer the man was already here in Castle_ _Rock."_

"He's right, Charles," Larry said taking a step closer. "If anyone has mea culpa here I fear it is me. I was working on the case and the truth eluded me." He gazed sadly at the ghost. "I'm sorry, Tom."

"_It wasn't your fault either, Professor; the only one responsible was Schiller."_

"What did you want to tell me, Tom?" Charlie asked quietly.

_Tom's eyes drifted back to the mathematician. "To tell you that my death wasn't your fault and to help you put those last five minutes before dawn to rest." He nodded his head at the surprised look in Charlie's eyes. "Yes, I know that you like Don have been having nightmares of those last five minutes. The only difference is that you see my face when Schiller pulls the trigger not yours."_

"How? How could you possibly know that?"

"_I have been with you ever since my death. I was there in your office that fateful night and on the mountain at your side when you cast my ashes to the wind. I was with you yesterday when you slid off the mountain and although I tried to stop your fall you passed right through me."_

"What?" Alan asked, his ears perking up at Toms words. "What's this now?"

"_Ah…sorry," Tom said as Charlie winced and Don rolled his eyes." "I guess I shouldn't have said that."_

"Hmph," Alan huffed, crossing his arms. "It looks like a few people have some explaining to do later."

"_Oops," Tom grinned then took on a more serious tone. "Open your hand, Charlie."_

"What? Why?"

"_Please, Charlie."_

Charlie stared at his friend for a moment then slowly raised his left hand, palm up. "Now what?"

_Tom pointed to the watch on the table and to the surprise of everyone it began to rise from the table and slowly moved through the air until it came to rest in Charlie's palm._

"_Close your hand and feel the watch." Tom ordered._

Charlie swallowed hard against the bile in his throat, revulsion for the object in his hand obvious in his every movement. His first instinct was to toss it to the floor but at Tom's insistence he squeezed his eyes shut and forced his fingers to close around the dreaded object. He gritted his teeth and opened his eyes.

"What am I supposed to do with this, Tom?"

"_It's just a watch, Charlie," Tom said softly. "That and nothing more, just pieces of metal, screws and gears and that's all. Play the chimes, listen to the music until the fear is gone and you are no longer haunted by the chimes at dawn. "He caught the agent's eye. "You too, Don. Only then will the two of you be able to put this behind you so that you can move on. "_

"I think that Tom is right," Erik spoke up suddenly. "Sometimes facing our fears is the only way to put them behind us. Please keep the watch…I have no desire to own it again."

Charlie nodded numbly then shoved the watch into his pants pocket, relieved to have it out of sight. "Is that it then," he asked facing Tom once again. "Are you free to…to crossover now?"

"_I'm…I'm not sure," the ghost replied thoughtfully. "I think so…I mean I've said what I needed to say but something still doesn't feel quite right." His eyes drifted around the small group until they settled on Emily, Hank and Faye. "I'd appreciate it if you would keep an eye on Jillian and Tommy for me. I like the idea of them being here and I can't think of a better place for her to raise Tommy."_

"Don't give it another thought, Tom," Hank answered gruffly, unshed tears glistening in his eyes."They'll become a part of our own family."

"Hank's right, Tommy," Faye added wiping at her own tears. ""We'll look after them."

"_Thanks," Tom replied gratefully. "I don't understand how you were all able to see and hear me but for that I will be forever grateful_."

"Oh, dear!" Faye exclaimed suddenly as she pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "Look at that…I can see my breath!"

"That's impossible," Hank growled and strode across the room to check the room temperature. "This can't be right," he said tapping the thermostat. "It's 72 degrees in here."

"It can't be," Alan exclaimed loudly. "Look!" He added pointing at everyone's frosty breaths.

"This is unprecedented," Larry said walking to the middle of the room then nodded toward the dark corner."Look at that wall over there."

They all turned and watched in amazement as frost began to form on the walls; flowing slowly outward it began to creep across the floor and counters encompassing everything in its path. Frosty tendrils caressed pictures and mirrors hanging on the walls, some of them cracking from the frigid temperature. Chairs, tables and counter tops began to glisten beneath its icy touch.

Tom shared one panicked look with Charlie then rushed head long into the shadows of the corner, disappearing from view.

"What's happening?" Charlie demanded turning to the medium.

"I…I don't know," Erik cried defensively. "I have never encountered anything like this before."

Uncertain and fearful they huddled together in a tight group and faced the dark corner waiting with bated breaths for Tom to reappear. It seemed like hours but in just a couple of short minutes Tom came racing into the room with a look on his face that sent chills down their spines.

"Go!" Tom screamed waving his hands toward the door. "Get out of here! Erik you've got to get them out of here. Hurry, I can't hold him back!" He turned on his heel and faced the corner, hands out in front of him as if he was forcibly pushing something back. Suddenly without warning he was flung backwards and tumbled across the floor.

A loud frightening roar suddenly resonated from the corner along with a strong wind that appeared out of nowhere tossing everyone to the floor. Table and chairs were overturned sending cups and saucers plunging to the floor….then suddenly it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"What the hell was that?" Don gasped as he and Robin stood up.

Charlie struggled to his feet pulling Amita up with him. "I don't know." He glanced around as everyone began to rise. "You okay, Dad."

"Yeah. Sure," Alan grunted as he helped pull Faye up from the floor. Hank, Emily and Larry were lending a hand to Erik and his family.

They looked around in alarm; the café was in disarray. Broken glass laid everywhere and overturned tables and chairs blocked their path to the door. The small group stumbled together, broken glass crunching beneath their feet.

Tom rose to his knees then glanced at the corner. A desperate look crossed his face then he turned to face the small group his eyes drifting from face to face until they settled on Charlie.

"Get out!" He cried out terror lighting up his pale blue eyes. "Charlie, he's coming. Get out now!"

Tom's horrified expression was enough to convince everyone to leave but as they started to move the obstacles out of their way the lights began to flicker. They all paused for a moment to share a panicked look then desperately increased their efforts to get out of the café but they were too late for only a second later a loud roar shook the room then a large menacing figure brandishing a cane emerged from the shadows.

Larger than life the evil spirit of Ludwig Schiller loomed over them, roaring with rage as the lights flickered briefly then plunged the café into darkness.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: I appreciate your reviews. Thank you

_**Fear, a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid….very afraid.**_

Chapter 26:

_Tom rose slowly to his knees staring in shock at the ghost of Ludwig Schiller. He was terrified by its presence-his thoughts returning to the last moments of his existence. Unbidden, the fear and horror of those last five minutes of his mortal life overwhelmed him and he swayed on his knees relieving his death over and over again. Sightless, pale blue eyes stared at something that no one else could see as he was helplessly caught up in a continuous loop of his own murder._

_The insane and tortured phantasm that in life had been Ludwig Schiller swept past the distraught ghost with a dismissive sneer and approached the stunned group with fierce determination. The light from the street lamp filtering in through the windows seemed to dim even more casting an overwhelming sense of foreboding over everyone._

"_**Now I will finish what I started**__," __**Ludwig bellowed shaking his cane in the air.**__ The menacing entity appeared to grow in size as he approached the living and frightened occupants of the room. Instantly a cold and formidable wind appeared out of nowhere weaving its way around the tightly clustered group then forced all but Charlie back against the wall._

"Charlie!" Amita screamed as the wind ripped her from his side. Simultaneous cries of alarm from Don, Alan, Larry and the others reverberated around the small café as the small group collided and collapsed to the floor at the base of the wall.

Dazed the mathematician's eyes tracked their path to the wall then his head swiveled reluctantly around to face the fearsome specter. Charlie swallowed hard breaking out in a cold sweat as he stood alone facing a phenomenon that shouldn't exist, a phenomenon which his analytical mind had only just begun to accept. The scientist in him wondered why he hadn't experienced the same sense of terror that he was feeling now when he had first seen Tom; his eyes drifted to the distraught ghost of his friend. The mathematician frowned inclining his head sadly, his terror momentarily forgotten as the ghost of his friend wrapped its arms around itself and rocked back and forth on its knees; his low keening moans piercing Charlie's heart. Tom had suffered unspeakable torture before his death and he could only imagine the fear and horrors that the appearance of Ludwig's ghost had wrought.

"Tom," he whispered brokenly his voice thick with emotion then a roar of rage startled him and his eyes darted back to the imposing entity standing before him. Speechless Charlie licked dry lips as he stared at the pale, lifeless visage of Ludwig Schiller, its eyes glowing from some evil, inner light. He scrubbed a shaking hand through his curls; he remembered those eyes…they weren't the intelligent, compassionate eyes of those last few seconds…no…the eyes he saw were the eyes of a madman. Eyes that in his reality never should have been seen again…and yet…there they were staring back at him with a feral glare. Faced with the horror-filled dark side of the paranormal he could sense the fragile hold that he had on his sanity spiraling away and in its place an overwhelming sense of panic began to course through his body. He tried to step back but found that his feet were suddenly glued to the floor; his heartbeat began to race as he realized that in response to his terror his legs seemed to have frozen in place. Trying to pull himself together he raised his chin defiantly and returned the phantasm's glare with a false sense of bravado and attempted to dispel the fearsome entity by disclaiming its existence.

"You're…you're dead," Charlie muttered softly in a shaky voice. "You're not really here….none of this is really happening." Nervously he rubbed at his temple, his eyes darting to the side to avoid the penetrating gaze of the ghostly visage. "You're not real…you…you can't hurt me."

"_**If you will not believe your own eyes then perhaps this will convince you,"**__**Ludwig snarled then pointed his cane at a broken picture frame lying on the floor. Abruptly the frame flew through the air heading straight for the mathematicians' head.**_

Caught by surprise Charlie was slow to react but somehow managed to twist slightly out of its path but not before the jagged edge of the frame brushed against his cheek. Stunned by the sudden sharp pain Charlie slapped a palm against his cheek then slowly withdrew his hand and stared in shock at the red liquid staining his fingers. Eyes wide with disbelief he raised his head and stared at the sneering ghost while his blood trickled over his jaw and down his neck.

"What…what do you want?" Charlie asked in a hushed voice, dazed by the physical assault. The mathematician didn't really need an answer….he already knew the phantasms malicious intent but couldn't stop himself from numbly asking the question.

"_**What do I want?"**__**The entity screamed taking a step closer to the professor.**_

Charlie felt a slow cold chill course down his spine and with a sinking heart accepted the probability that Ludwig's ghost just might accomplish what the man had tried so hard to do in life.

"_**What I want is to finish what I started," it hissed vehemently then raised his face toward the heavens and let out a blood-curdling roar.** **The horrific sound reverberated around the room rattling the windows and sending the remaining wall decorations crashing to the floor.**_

As if from a distance Charlie heard cries of distress from his family and friends. He could hear Amita sobbing and for some reason Robin was warning Don to be careful but he didn't dare take his eyes from the threatening spirit. He gasped suddenly as a hand gently touched his injured cheek and his head snapped around to meet the worried gaze of his brother. Charlie exhaled a shaky breath of relief as his eyes met those of his brothers and a look of understanding passed between them. _"This is new territory, buddy," Don seemed to say, "but hang on. Together, somehow, someway we will get through this."_ Charlie didn't know how Don had managed to break the bonds of the restraining wind and work his way to his side but if they survived this night he would be eternally grateful that he had. He could already feel Don's quiet strength flowing into him, giving him the courage that he needed to face Ludwig's ire.

With a silent nod the agent hooked an arm protectively around his brother's neck. Quietly he brushed his fingers against his jeans leaving behind the red stains of Charlie's blood and set his jaw in grim determination; come hell or high water nothing was going to take him from his brother's side again. Don glanced around the room, the FBI agent taking control as he accessed their situation. His brow furrowed at the sight of Tom-no help there. It looked as if Ludwig had successfully taken out their only ally in the paranormal realm with his appearance. "Was therenothing here that he could use to their advantage?" Don choked down a moment of panic. "How did you fight a ghost anyway?"

_**The malevolent phantasm ceased its yell and lowered his gaze. It moved closer to the brothers until its face was only a few inches from the agent's then in an icy voice it hissed."You're the one that killed me**_**."**

"Apparently not good enough!" Don quipped angrily flinching when his statement elicited another blood-curdling scream from the entity. This was one scenario that hadn't been covered in his classes at Quantico but it wasn't his way to back down.

While Ludwig screamed and howled Charlie glanced sideways at his brother then whispered nervously. "Ah…Don, I don't think that it's a good idea to antagonize it."

"Yeah I got that, Charlie," Don agreed berating himself for speaking so rashly. He'd immediately regretted his words but sarcasm had become a defensive measure that was second nature to him and he'd said the cutting remark without thinking about the consequences.

_**It's rage appeased once again the entity stopped howling and lowered its head; fixing its eyes on the agent it smiled sardonically. "You will suffer for that after I finish with this one," Ludwig promised, his eyes drifting back to Charlie.**_

"No…no this wasn't supposed to happen!" Eric Schiller exclaimed as he forced his way to the mathematician's side."I'm so sorry," he pleaded desperately his eyes darting back and forth between the brothers. "Nothing like this has ever happened before …I swear!"

"_**Go away," Ludwig snarled. "This does not concern you."**_

"Yes it does," Eric argued taking an uncertain step backwards as the entity turned its angry glare on him."I brought them here…this is my fault."

"_**Go away!" Ludwig roared, taking a step closer to the medium.**_

Eric flinched, his skin paling considerably. "No!" he cried, desperate to get through to the ghost. "You're my Uncle….can't you feel our connection? My name is Eric Schiller. Your brother, Daniel, was my father."

_**The ghost of Ludwig Schiller drew himself up until he loomed over Eric; his lips curling with disdain. "That is a name that I have not heard or thought of for many, many years and it does you no favor to admit that you are his son." He leaned closer as the air around them grew even colder. "Your brother betrayed me and my family deserted me so I will hear no more of them!"**_

Eric swallowed hard and backed away. "What…what are you going to do?"

"_**Do?" Ludwig hissed softly as his lips spread wide in a Cheshire-cat like smile then with cane held high he strode to the middle of the floor. He turned slowly studying everyone in the room; the pitiful ghost of Thomas Hill kneeling on the floor, the two brothers standing defiantly before him, the medium claiming to be his nephew and finally the cluster of distressed people against the wall. "Tonight," he announced triumphantly, "Charles Eppes will die." He paused as sobs and screams of denial from the back of the room interrupted him but that only fueled him further."He will meet his destiny as he should have months **__**ago….and **__**this time ," his eyes settled on the agent, "this time even his big brother won't be able to save him**__!" _

_**The insane and tortured phantasm that in life had been Ludwig Schiller laughed manically and danced around the room; its frozen smile striking a heightened sense of terror into the hearts of those present that they had never experienced before.**_

_TBC _


	27. Chapter 27

_Seasons_

_By_

_1__st__ endeavor_

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: _Thank you for your patience and your reviews. _

_Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays to all._

Chapter 27:

Ludwig's ghost cackled gleefully; capering about the café in a fit of laughter as it hungrily scanned the faces of the small group of people cowering beneath his menacing gaze. Their fear, their worry and distress was palpable and had grown thicker after his announcement regarding the fate of the Eppes brothers. He savored it, hungered for it and drew it in like it was the very air that he used to breathe. The women's sobs, the shocked wide-eyed stares and the sweat glistening on the pale faces acted like a catalyst within him and sent his fury to heights that he had never imagined possible. The specter doubled in size, his shadowy form towering over everyone as the phantom exulted in his new found power over the living.

The power flickered on then off again but the living didn't really need the lights to see what was happening in the room; the luminescent glow from the dead was more than enough to allow them to see the strange and frightening events unfolding before their shocked eyes.

"Nooo," Alan groaned in despair; his breath ragged as he struggled to free himself and rush to the aid of his sons. The elder Eppes didn't really have a viable plan to help them but he had an overwhelming need to stand with them while they faced this terrifying threat. "This can't be happening." He pushed against the unseen force binding him to the wall but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't break its tenacious hold. He blinked his eyes rapidly fighting back tears of frustration then glanced sideways at Amita and Robin; both women struggling desperately to free themselves. Alan shared a desperate look with Larry who had renewed his efforts to get free then let his eyes drift to Hank and Emily. Even the stout sheriff was finding it impossible to shake the bonds of the forceful wind. Emily, Faye, Petra and Marta had ceased their struggles; terror stricken they sat unmoving, mouths agape and eyes locked on the nightmare scene before them.

Barely breathing, the brothers stood stock still helplessly ensnared in the spirits madness. It loomed over them, growing taller until its head almost reached the ceiling…its eyes shining brightly with evil intent.

Charlie closed his eyes and shook his head as if to vanquish the creature from his sight but when his eyelids fluttered open a second later Ludwig's apparition was still there. Sweat slid down the side of his face-his numbers scattering in all directions. What would Einstein have done? There was no logic in this…how could he rationally deal with this situation? His answer came almost immediately-he couldn't. Did that mean that he should just give up and die? Charlie clenched his jaw. "No," he decided stubbornly. "I'm missing something and I just have to figure out what it is. I'm not giving up yet."

Eyes firmly locked on the entity, Don slowly wiped the sweat from his brow then clenched his fist as he lowered his hand. There had to be a way out of this he just hadn't seen it yet….but how? The agent was used to being in control when dealing with dangerous situations but he was out of his element here. What could he do? Mentally he tried to develop a working scenario but ended up just reviewing their position again. The doors were still blocked by chairs, he couldn't call for help and even if he could….who did you call in a situation like this? Don's gun was still locked in the glove compartment of his SUV but as he thought of it he almost laughed out loud. Even if he held the gun in his hand it would be useless; you couldn't threaten an enemy that was already dead. Don desperately needed an asset but try as hard as could he could only think of one and in its current condition it was a long shot at best.

A spine-tingling yell suddenly filled the room as Ludwig's apparition raised its cane in the air then pointed it toward the brothers. Immediately there was a scraping sound as several of the chairs piled near the door were suddenly airborne.

Startled by the sound Don and Charlie turned but not soon enough to avoid the chairs as they slammed into their backs. Knocked to the floor they scrambled to their feet again wincing from pain as they straightened up. Silently they stretched their limbs looking for any injuries besides the bruising that they knew would result from the assault. They shared a desperate look then turned slowly to face the raging spirit.

Ludwig laughed, a contemptuous sneer crossing his face. "Ah….this is glorious!" he taunted. "For months I have wandered aimlessly through a world of darkness tormented by hideous creatures that tried to draw me into a deep, black endless pit. Horrific sounds emanated from that place and I felt that if they were successful I would be there for eternity but I resisted because I knew that there was something more for me and then just when I was ready to relent I am drawn to this place." He capered madly in a circle then raised his head to address the brothers once again. "Don't you see? I've been given a chance to redeem myself. With your deaths I can finish what I started." He laughed again, the sneer morphing into a hideous grin.

Don's eyes darted desperately to Tom's dejected spirit; he had to help them- Tom was the only one that could face Ludwig on his level. "Tom," the agent hissed. "Do something!"

But it didn't appear that Tom had heard him because he remained on his knees eyes locked on something far away.

"Tom, please," Charlie pleaded, taking up the call. "Help us! Please."

"He cannot help you now," Ludwig's ghost scoffed. "I have defeated him in death as I did in life." He dismissed the young man's spirit then pointed his cane toward the closed door of the kitchen. It opened slowly then and as if in slow motion, one by one a dozen sharp knives floated from the kitchen to the middle of the room then were turned to face the brothers where they hovered motionlessly, sharp end facing outward.

**Screams and cries of dismay erupted from the back of the room but did little to deter the ghost. _"You might be able to deflect a few of the knives but some will inevitably get through and one if not both of you will die this time but rest assured if one of you should survive it will not be for long…I will get you on the next wave." The entity laughed. "Of course, you could beg for mercy and I might ….just might let you live."_**

The Eppes brothers had no defense and they knew it nor did either of them believe for an instant that the ghost would let them live. Well if they were going to die then so be it…neither one was willing to give the entity any pleasure by begging for their lives. Don and Charlie shared a last look, one that spoke of love and a shared strength to face death together. A barely susceptible nod to one another, a deep breath and two pairs of brown eyes filled with defiance turned to face the tormented soul of Ludwig Schiller.

_**The apparition grinned; he'd expected no less from them then without a word he jerked the cane in a forward motion and the sharp knives surged forward picking up speed as they sped toward their two targets.**_

_0000000000000000_

_Tom rocked back and forth, his arms crossed protectively around himself. His death kept happening over and over again and as hard as he tried he couldn't seem to break the loop._

"_Schiller…please…..don't do this!"_

_Thomas begged, barely managing to get the words out of his mouth; hands tied behind his back and beaten to the point where he was barely standing, he nevertheless was trying to reason with the insane man standing behind him. With trepidation he glanced at the clock on his desk and immediately began to panic. His heart began to race wildly with the realization that his own demise was imminent; fifteen minutes…..he only had fifteen minutes to live unless he could find some way to reason with his old professor. . _

"_I have given you the night to prove me wrong," the old professor sneered at the frantic young man, "why should I listen any further?"_

"_Please…I…I... can do better…..you'll see," Thomas pleaded desperately as he tried to turn around to face his tormentor. "Please…just give me… another chance!" Weak from the constant beatings he wobbled precariously on his feet and would have fallen if Schiller hadn't grabbed his elbow to steady him._

"_If you fall I will not pick you up." Ludwig warned coldly, releasing him when Tom looked over his shoulder and nodded that he understood. He crossed his arms across his chest and looked down his nose at his former student._

"_Please!" Tom whispered brokenly._

"_Very well." Schiller agreed arrogantly as he pulled a watch from his vest pocket and pressed the latch on the closed case. With a slight click the case opened and Ludwig glanced at the hands of the clock; his lips spread across his face in a sardonic grin as his eyes drifted to Thomas's face. "You have nine minutes…..I suggest you make the most of them."_

"_Ah…..ah….I know... there….is something…that I've forgotten." Thomas stammered, trying to lick his lips but his mouth had suddenly gone dry; he panted while he frantically searched his mind for a solution…..there was something…if he could just think of it…..if he just had a little more time…if only…and then he heard it…the first chime from the professor's pocket watch! No...it couldn't be…had he just let four minutes go by while he was thinking? _

_With a quick intake of breath Thomas's head whipped around to view the window; the first rays of light were beginning to cut through the darkness and as the second chime resonated ominously around the cabin he began to tremble, not from fear this time but from righteous outrage._

"_No! "Thomas cried angrily, spittle flying from his mouth in his desperate attempt to reach the man. "You are not God….you have no right to do this…you have….no right to take my life from me!"_

"_My dear boy, it is the Divine one that guides my hand." Ludwig replied in a haughty voice as the third chime pealed loudly. "Why is it that you all say the same thing?"_

"_All?" Thomas gasped in surprise. "There have been others….you've killed other people?"_

"_Silly boy. Of course there have been others, your fellow classmates to be exact." The professor answered lifting his head toward the heavens momentarily before meeting his captive's gaze. "Are you so arrogant that you believe you are the only one worth saving?" _

_The little color that was left in Thomas's face seemed to drain away at Schiller's words ; the strange glowing light in the man's eyes could only mean one thing…..he was truly dealing with a madman._

"_Save?" Thomas asked incredulously, involuntarily wincing as the fourth chime echoed around the room. "Is that what you call this?"_

"_As I explained earlier…this is for your own good!" Ludwig replied harshly._

"_You're insane!" Thomas screamed; he had nothing to lose now…..nothing he said was going to make any difference. Desperately he looked around the cabin….there had to be some way to stop Schiller…..there just had to be….he didn't want to die! _

_Thomas's heart was pounding so loudly that he barely heard the fifth chime but the sounds of the shell as it entered the chamber of Schiller's gun rang loud and clear in his ears. Recklessly he started to turn around to face his old professor with the hope that he couldn't pull the trigger if they were face to face but he didn't get the chance. _

_Thomas Hill barely heard the explosive report of the revolver before everything went black….and his lifeless body dropped to the floor. _

_Tom's ghost shuddered and he tried to brace himself for the loop to begin again. Suddenly voices penetrated through the fog surrounding him and it sounded like Charlie and Don. Wait….what were they saying?_

"_**Tom! "Do something!"**_

_That was Don's voice….wasn't it?_

"_**Tom, please. Help us! Please."**_

_And wasn't that Charlie? Something was wrong….they needed his help. He starred at the scene in front of him without comprehending what he was seeing then his eyes widened with fear and a burst of rage coursed through him. Suddenly he broke free of the loop and realized what was going on just as Ludwig's ghost released the knives._

"_**Nooooo!"**__ Tom screamed, rising to his feet with such speed that to everyone else he appeared as a blur of light. He jumped in front of Charlie and Don then raised his hands **creating an invisible shield to protect them. Tom wasn't sure how he did it but one by one the knives appeared to hit a solid wall then clattered loudly to the floor. **_

_**Ludwig snarled then raised his cane once again. The knives rose in the air and were once again aimed at the brothers. "Get out of my way!" he shouted. "You are not strong enough to defeat me!" Once again he loosed the knives and as before they hit the invisible wall then tumbled harmlessly to the floor**._

"_**NOOOO!" The evil apparition roared in outrage. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" **_

"_I brought them here," Tom said, his voice dangerously soft. "I will not let you hurt them." He took a step forward then did something totally unexpected. His lips parted in a smile but there was something unnatural about it because it never touched his eyes. Tom was no longer afraid of the entity; the rage and fear that had been building within him since his death had finally boiled free filling him with a cold, unfeeling power...and an overwhelming thirst for vengeance. _

_Sensing a change in his friends ghost Charlie worriedly called out to him. "T….Tom?" The mathematician began but stumbled back against Don when his friend turned to face him; Tom's icy blue stare was every bit as frightening as Ludwig's maniacal one. _

"_Stay out of this Charlie," he warned coldly. "Move back and stay out of the way." Tom's head swiveled back around to face his enemy._

Eric realized what was happening and rushed forward hoping to reason with the young ghost. "Don't do it, Tom," he pleaded desperately. "If you give in to your hate you will never be able to cross into the light. Please think about what you're doing. You can still defeat him without letting your rage consume you."

_Tom eyes darted briefly to the medium and then back to Ludwig. "I'll take care of this," he said coldly. "Now get back." Tom flicked his hand then out of nowhere a strong wind pushed the medium backwards._

"Please, Tom," Eric cried stumbling to his knees. "If you destroy it with this much hatred you will become the very thing that you are attempting to destroy."

_Tom didn't answer but continued to draw upon on his rage and grew as large as Ludwig's ghost and as the power surged through him the winds began to whip around him tossing his friends_ _around as well as any loose furniture in the room. Don barely dodged the heavy cash register as it flew from the counter and Charlie narrowly escaped the edge of a table as it tumbled by him. They struggled back to the others and huddled together, arms over their heads to protect themselves from flying objects. _

_Ludwig moved forward, cane held high to push against Tom but the young phantom raised his hands to push back against the phantom… and held his ground._

"_**NOOOOO!" Ludwig screamed pushing back with all of his might. "NOOOOOO! GET OUT OF MY WAY!"**_

_It was a frightening image and one that would take the living some time to get over…if that was even possible. How did someone forget an experience like this? The air grew colder settling over the people as they watched the horrific battle play out before them. They couldn't get out, their path was not only blocked by the piled chairs but the raging ghosts as well. The spirits had forgotten them; caught up in their own battle they had little time to be concerned with the discomforts of the living. _

_Tom and Ludwig fought fiercely, entity against entity as seconds turned into minutes. It seemed as if the battle was going to last forever…..until…_

_An old ghost with a cane suddenly came out of the shadows. It walked slowly leaning heavily on the cane as it made its way across the room seemingly unconcerned with the raging spirits. Tom and Ludwig separated surprised by his appearance and watched in stunned silence as the old man came to a standstill between them. _

_The ghost pulled a handkerchief from his pocket then cleaned his glasses. Slowly he hooked them around his ears then gazed sadly at Tom._

"_You must stop this….it will destroy you."_

_Consumed with rage, Tom clenched his teeth and growled. "Get out of the way old man….I must finish this."_

_The old man shook his head slowly. "I cannot." His eyes drifted to the snarling ghost of Ludwig Schiller. "This spirit must be cast into that black hole where all abomination's are sent but first I must see ask it a question." He stepped closer and met the tormented spirit's eyes. "Do you not know me?"_

_Ludwig sneered at the old man then dismissed him. "I don't know you…now get out of my way!" He waved the cane attempting to blow the old man out of the way but was surprised _to _see the old man standing firm against the strong wind. "What do you want?" he growled menacingly._

"_It is I, Ludwig," the old ghost cocked his head sadly. "I am your brother, Daniel."_

_Ludwig took a step back, surprised by the ghost's announcement then almost immediately a sneer crossed his features. "__**The only brother I had betrayed me," he shouted angrily. "I….HAVE NO Brother!"**_

"Papa?" A voice called out tremulously from the back of the room "What are you doing here? I thought that you had crossed over."

_The old ghost cast a brief glance over his shoulder. "Now is not the time Eric. I promise that I will explain everything when this is over." At his sons nod he turned back to Ludwig's ghost then squinted at him as if he was looking for someone else_.

"_I failed you, yes, but I did not betray you. Perhaps you will remember me better this way." The image of the old man began to shimmer until it was only a blob of white light then suddenly its shape changed to one of a sixteen year old boy dressed in clothes from a different era. "Ludi?" he whispered hesitantly. "Ludi are you in there? Do you not recognize your Dani now?"_

_**Waving his hands before him Ludwig's ghost gasped and backed away. "Stay away from me," he shouted. "He is a part of me and you cannot have him!"**_

"_**No!" Daniel cried. "He is the innocent part of you and had no choice but to bend to your madness but he does have a choice now. That innocence…that innocent seven year old boy does not have to suffer in purgatory. The corruption of your soul happened when you were taken from us but those first seven years remained pure, shielded from your madness. Release him and let him come forth."**_

"_**NO," Ludwig screamed. "He is a part of me and I will not let him go!"**_

"_**The choice is his to make, not yours," Daniel replied harshly taking a step closer. His voice softened as he stretched out his hand. "Ludi if you are still within this spirit please take my hand and come forth. I let you down all those long years ago…forgive me… and come with me now. Mother awaits us, dear brother."**_

_**Suddenly Ludwig's ghost began to undulate and shimmer violently….as if an inner struggle was taking place then to everyone's surprise a small hand pushed out from the spirit's body and grabbed Daniel's hand. Another struggle ensued, a tug-of war between Daniel and Ludwig's manic spirit then with a mighty tug Daniel pulled a small boy from the now writhing spirit of Ludwig Schiller.**_

_Wide-eyed, the seven year old spirit of Ludwig Schiller stared in disbelief at the evil remnant of his soul. Tears in his eyes he turned to the ghost of his older brother. "Dani," he whispered fearfully. "Is it over?"_

_Daniel smiled and knelt to one knee then grasped his younger brother in a big hug. "Yes", he whispered, "It's over now, Ludi… its over."_

"_Nooo," Tom yelled suddenly rushing forward. "No… he must pay for what he's done!" He pointed angrily at Ludwig's ghost. "YOU killed me! I have a son that I will never know because you took my life and you must pay for that and for the other lives that you've taken."_

_Shocked, Daniel looked over the little boy's head and pleaded with Tom. "But….but he will suffer for his crimes." His eyes darted to the writhing spirit on the floor. "That part of him will be trapped forever in purgatory."_

**_But Tom's hatred and rage__ had consumed him and he wasn't going to allow any part of the __ghost to escape punishment. "He MUST suffer….all of him!_**

_Slowly the little boy drew back from his brother,_ _his hand falling limply to his side then_ _turned to face the angry ghost. As he looked into the icy blue eyes of Thomas Hill tears filled his own. "I'm sorry," he whispered sadly. "I could not stop that part of me from killing you and the others ….but I cried for you." Tears began to spill down his small cheeks as he remembered the murders. He looked longingly at his brother then forced himself to take a step closer to that part of himself that he detested and feared. The small ghost swallowed hard and looked deep into Tom's eyes. "I have wronged you…so…so if you say that I must return then I will do so." His small shoulders drooped and he lowered his head then resigning himself to his fate he stretched out his hand to rejoin his spirit. _

"_Wait," Tom called out suddenly; the ice in his eyes and the hatred in his heart had melted with the child's tears. What had he been about to do….condemn an innocent to hell? That wasn't who he was…in life he had always championed the innocent….and he could do no less here. It wasn't the child that had committed the crimes but the adult and it troubled him that he had been about to punish the little boy. Suddenly he felt as if a terrible weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he realized that it wasn't just his desire to help Charlie and Don that had kept him here but his hatred for Schiller as well. _

_Hesitantly, Ludi straightened up and turned to face Tom."Yes," he asked tremulously_

"_I'm the one who's sorry, Ludi. You have suffered greatly and shouldn't be made to suffer anymore. Please go with your brother."_

_The little boy searched his face then a hopeful glint shown in his eyes. "Really? It's okay?" _

"_Yes," Tom replied, his voice filled with emotion. _

"_Thanks," Ludi cried joyfully then fled back to his brothers open arms._

_**TBC**_


	28. Chapter 28

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 28:

_**While the innocent part of Ludwig's soul was being comforted by Daniel the tormented half writhed on the floor, moaning and groaning in its misery. Suddenly it jumped to his feet, snarling and spitting in its madness. It lunged toward its missing self, stretching out its arms as if to pull it back but Tom had been keeping a wary eye on the entity and quickly jumped between them.**_

"_**Leave him alone!" Thomas yelled holding his hand up to act as a barrier and keep the phantom at a distance.**_

"_**No," Ludwig hissed, his eyes rolling wildly around in its head. "It's mine….give it back…give it back!"**_

Mesmerized by the macabre scene, Charlie, Don and the others had silently drifted forward; forming a semi-circle around the entities they carefully placed themselves behind Tom, Daniel and Ludi while keeping a safe distance from the tormented part of Ludwig's soul.

_**The angry ghost recoiled from Tom's touch then danced fretfully from foot to foot as it tried to figure out a way to bypass Hill's ghost."It comes with me…..it comes with me," the phantom whined desperately. "I need it!"**_

"_**No," Daniel said coldly raising his head to meet the entities mad stare. "You must pay for your sins but this small part of your soul need not suffer any longer. Go!" He added harshly nodding toward the shadows. "Go reap the rewards that you have sown!"**_

"_**I won't go there…I won't!" Ludwig cried angrily. Suddenly he cocked his head as if listening to a distant call then began to tear at his hair while glancing fearfully at the shadows in the room. "NOOOO!" he howled abruptly then darted into the shadows muttering "you can't make me…..you can't make me!"**_

Stunned by the startling exit of the evil spirit everyone in the room froze in place as a deep silence enveloped the darkened café. The ragged breathing of the living was the only sound that could be heard as all eyes, both living and dead, remained locked on the shadow-filled corner where the tormented soul had fled.

"Has….has it gone?" Amita finally whispered as she pressed closer to Charlie's side.

The mathematician didn't answer but wrapped his arms protectively around her; Charlie wasn't sure himself…..he could only hope that it was gone.

"Tom?" he asked hesitantly his eyes drifting to the ghost of his friend. "Do you think it's gone?"

"_I think so," the phantom answered glancing briefly over his shoulder. "I don't feel its presence any more. What do you think, Daniel?"_

All eyes darted toward the sixteen year old apparition of Daniel Schiller. It still knelt on the floor embracing the remaining part of Ludwig Schiller's soul-the innocent seven year old boy that he remembered from his childhood. The boy's face was pressed tightly against his brother's shoulder; they were of a different time and place; both dressed in clothes of another era.

_Daniel cocked his head his eyes peering deeply into the shadows while he searched for any signs that the tormented spirit still remained and even though the appearance of the old ghost had changed, his eyes and voice still reflected the wisdom of his years. "I do not believe that it will ever be back."_

"But….but how can you be so sure?" Robin asked nervously locking her arms tightly around Don.

Don hugged her closer then glanced over his shoulder to give his father a reassuring smile. Alan stood firmly behind his sons- his jaw locked in grim determination; nothing was going to separate them again. He placed a protective hand on each of their shoulders and waited for Daniel's answer.

"_That part of Ludwig is gone now," Daniel whispered in a voice thick with emotion. "It has been taken to that place where all abominations must go and will remain there for all eternity. I suspect that he will join our father there." He sighed deeply. "See," he added looking around the room. "The frost is dissipating."_

Even as he spoke the lights began to flicker on and off again then steadied and as they all watched the heavy frost that had covered the interior of the cafe began to recede back into the shadows from where it had risen then disappeared completely. The air in the room began to warm up and soon the temperature of the café was once again at a comfortable level of seventy-five degrees.

A collective sigh of relief was suddenly expelled from the living occupants of the room as they began to feel more at ease; the light and sudden warmth was beginning to dispel the worst of the horrors that they had experienced earlier.

Charlie murmured softly in Amita's ear then released her and knelt down on one knee behind Daniel.

Don's brow creased worriedly. "Charlie?" he asked kneeling down beside of his brother but Charlie waved him to silence as he tried to get a closer look at the little boy's face.

Sensing the close proximity of the men Ludi slowly raised his head and peered over his brother's shoulder then uncontrollably ghostly tears began to course down his cheeks as he met the mathematician's eye.

"_I'm sorry," Ludi whispered, shuddering as the vivid memory of his assault on the man flashed through his mind, "I couldn't stop myself from hurting you." His eyes darted nervously from Charlie's face to Don's then back again._

"It was you," Charlie breathed softly, his lips parting in a soft smile. It wasn't a question but a statement that he was sure of because he had seen something in the young ghost's eyes that he had seen once before. Charlie's brown expressive eyes filled with warmth and understanding as he peered deeply into the phantoms pale hazel ones. "It was you," he repeated in wonder. "In those last few seconds in my office you took control of your actions and saved my life."

_The little ghost nodded sadly. "I tried to get out sooner but that part of me kept this part," he waved his hand at himself, "locked away most of the time." Feeling the need to explain further his eyes drifted to Don. "I think it was you…..I think you reminded me of Dani and that gave me the strength to break free_."

A look of deep sadness crossed Don's features. "I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't know. I really had no choice….I…I had to fire."

"_Don't be sorry," the little entity hastily replied. "I'm glad you did because my mad self was becoming stronger again and would have taken over." He smiled suddenly at the Eppes. "It is better this way…that awful part of me is gone and I'm with Dani again." Leaning back to meet his brother's eye he added happily. "Right, Dani."_

Before Daniel could answer a beam of shimmering white light appeared a few feet in front of them prompting gasps of wonder from some while others stumbled back in surprise.

"Oh, my!" Faye exclaimed in astonishment as she clapped her hands to her face. "What is that?"

"That my dear woman," Larry answered in awe, "is something that I've always hoped existed but one that we scientists have never been able to prove." His eyes drifted over Tom, Dani and Ludi then shrugged self-consciously. "Well...one of many things that I have seen tonight that have not been scientifically proven."

"Do not be alarmed," Eric said soothingly as he stepped forward. A mixed expression of sadness and happiness crossed his face as he looked at the spirits of his father and uncle. "It is time for them to cross-over and to do so they must step into the light."

_Daniel grinned broadly then nodded at Eric." My son is correct. Ludi," he said setting the small ghost on his feet and pointing to the shimmering light."Soon we will join Mama."_

"_Really?" the little apparition asked excitedly. He quickly turned around and stared wistfully at the light then murmured softly. "I have missed her so much."_

"_As have I, Ludi," Daniel replied patting him gently on the shoulder. "Just give me a moment and we will be on our way." His eyes drifted over Eric, Petra and Marta then smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry that I have not been to visit with you sooner but I could not cross over until I was certain about Ludi's fate and I knew that you would worry about my soul." For a moment his form shimmered back to that of the old man. "I love you all…you made my life worth living." His eyes flickered to Marta then back to his son. "I am proud of the help that the two of you are giving to those who need it. Your gift is not an easy one to bear but as the events of this night have proven they serve a higher purpose. Tonight your special gifts have helped not only the living but the spiritual as well. This night you have helped all of us find closure and have given us the strength to move on with our destinies." He felt a light tug on his jacket and glanced down at the seven year old apparition by his side._

"_Is it time, Dani?" the little ghost asked eagerly with a yearning look in his eyes._

_An overwhelming sadness touched the old ghosts eyes as he gazed fondly at the small boy; his little brother had suffered so much in life that he could bear delaying their journey no longer._

"_Yes, my little Ludi," Daniel whispered emotionally, tears spilling over his cheeks. "Yes…it is time." His form shimmered and the sixteen year old boy reappeared once again. They approached the light but Dani paused before entering it._

"_Are you going to come with us?" he asked glancing sideways at Tom. _

_Tom shook his head then smiled. "Not yet. I know I can cross-over now but I'd like to see my son and Jillian one last time before I go."_

"_I understand," Dani said returning his smile. His eyes flickered to Eric one last time. "Do not mourn for me, my son, for I have shed my mantle of regret and failure and my heart feels lighter than it has in years."_

"_Dani…Dani…I hear Mama's voice," Ludi exclaimed, tugging excitedly on his brothers sleeve. "She is laughing….I can hear her!"_

"_I hear her too," Dani laughed grasping his brother's hand. "Come…let's go join her."_

_Hand in hand they stepped through the light and for just a moment the Eppes and the others thought they too could hear the sound of a woman's laughter then abruptly the light flashed brighter, shimmered briefly then winked out of sight._

Speechless Don, Charlie, and the others were suddenly besieged by a myriad of emotions ranging from sadness to happiness for the two spirits then to a feeling of loss at the disappearance of the warm light.

Wiping at her eyes Emily glanced up at Hank. "I don't know whether to laugh or cry."

"Do both," Eric said softly wiping at his own red-rimmed eyes. "Cry for what was once lost and laugh for what has been found. We should rejoice for them for they are now in a better place…and together at long last."

"Beautiful...just beautiful," Alan murmured, fishing a handkerchief from his pocket and blowing his nose.

_Tom cocked his head and stared at the spot where the light had been. "It's amazing when you think about it?"_

"What do you mean?" Eric asked turning to face him.

"Wait," Charlie said suddenly as he looked frantically around the room. "Where did Tom go? I wanted to say good-by."

_Tom's spirit moved to his friend's side. "Charlie I'm right here…..can't you see me?"_

"Tom is still here," Eric replied, a puzzled look on his face. "He's standing right beside of you. Can't you see him?"

Charlie looked around then shook his head sadly. "No….I can't see or hear him."

"Me either," Amita said moving to Charlie's side.

"Why can't we see him now?" Faye asked as the others also acknowledged that they too could no longer see the ghost of Thomas Hill.

Eric turned to face his daughter. "Marta?

"I can still see and hear him, Papa. I wonder why they cannot?" she mused thoughtfully.

Eric scratched at his chin then shrugged his shoulders. "I can only speculate. As I said earlier I believe that you were able to see him before because of the presence of the other ghosts. Their combined energies allowed you to see and hear him….but now that they've gone there isn't enough energy left to allow you to do so."

"Oh," Charlie murmured disappointedly his eyes darting to the side and back again. "I really wanted to see him one last time."

"_I'm sorry too, Charlie," Tom said sadly. "It would have been nice to say one last good-by."_

"Marta and I can still tell you what he says," the medium said but seeing the disappointment in the mathematicians eyes hastily added. "But I know it's not the same thing as talking to him yourself."

"_Eric, I want to thank you and your family for everything that you've done for me," Tom said his eyes drifting from the medium to Marta and Petra then back again. _

The medium smiled. "I'm glad we could help, Tom. Are you leaving now?"

"_Yes," Tom answered then nodded toward his friends. "Please tell all of them how much they meant to me and that I know they will move on with their lives now. Tell Charlie," his voice choked full of emotion then he began again. "Tell Charlie that it's time to let go…that I'm letting go and that all I ask is that he remembers the good times we had together." His pale blue eyes filled with tears as he whispered. "Tell him that he was the best little brother that anyone could ever have and that I'll always be grateful that he opened his heart for me." Tom cast a fond gaze on his friend for a moment then added softly. "See you around, Charlie." _

The spirit of Thomas Hill glanced around the small group of people that in life had been his friends then turned aside and without looking back walked through the door of Faye's café and disappeared into the night shadows.

Eric stared at the door for a moment then cleared his throat and faced Tom's friends. "Tom is no longer here. He has gone to say good-bye to his son but he wanted you all to know that he loved you very much and wants you to put the past behind you now." He stepped closer to Charlie. "He asked that I tell you that you were the best little brother that he ever could have wished for and that he is grateful that you opened your heart to him. Tom wants you to remember the good times that you shared and doesn't want you to dwell on the bad memories."

Overcome with emotion Charlie merely nodded and looked away as a single tear made its way down his cheek.

Seeking to give his youngest a little time to compose himself Alan cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention.

"Ah….so now what do we do?"

Hank grimaced as he looked around the room then stated the obvious. "Faye, your place is a disaster."

The sheriff's comment broke the solemn mood as everyone began to focus on the condition of Faye's café.

"I think that is a vast understatement, Hank," Alan harrumphed noting the overturned tables, broken chairs and the shattered glass dotting the floor.

"Yeah…ah…we need to get this cleaned up," Charlie muttered, clearing his throat as he began to sit up some of the unbroken chairs. Everyone began to help and suddenly the sound of table legs scraping across the floor and creaking chairs as they were righted echoed around the room then the tinkle of glass was added to the cacophony as the broken pieces were swept into a corner.

"Oh, dear," Faye murmured as she gazed about the room "How am I going to explain this to my insurance company?"

"You don't," Eric said staring around the room in dismay. "This is my fault and I will take full responsibility for putting your café back in order."

"Why, you'll do no such thing," Faye objected. "It was my idea to come here, remember? Anyway, my insurance will cover the damage."

"Dear lady," Eric countered skeptically. "I doubt that your insurance will cover any damage to your property that has been caused by paranormal activity."

Faye's eyebrows lifted and her eyes widened at the thought of explaining the circumstances to her insurance agent. "Oh dear, you might be right."

"Please allow me to take care of this for you," Eric insisted. "Trust me. I assure you that I have more than enough resources to cover the expenses."

"Very well," Faye replied breathing a sigh of relief. "If you insist."

"I do," Eric said firmly. "Since the hour grows late might I suggest that we come back in the morning and access the damages? I know the Eppes are planning to leave early for their return trip to Los Angles but perhaps the Sheriff can join us tomorrow to help us determine what needs to be done."

Emily hooked her arm through Hank's arm and answered for him. "We'll both be here bright and early."

Alan stepped forward and offered the medium his hand. "Thank you for coming here. You've managed to close a lot of wounds tonight."

Eric cocked his head, his eyes roving over the group. "It wasn't me. I didn't initiate any of this….it was Tom who brought me here. Odd, isn't it?" he mused thoughtfully. "I thought I was coming here to help the spirit of Thomas Hill cross-over and at the same time ease my guilt over being the nephew of the man that had killed him." Eric stretched out his left arm and pulled his wife close then wrapped his right arm around Marta. "Apparently our fates were intertwined because our coming here did so much more than that, didn't it? A force more powerful than all of us brought us together tonight and in doing so healed the souls of many."

"He's right," Larry interjected tapping his lips with his fingers. "Think about it," he said, "these events were set in motion many, many years ago when Daniel's father sold his seven year old son for **his** thirty pieces of silver. Then after years of abuse Ludwig moves to America and becomes a professor at Princeton University. There he meets me then Charles and Thomas become his students along with the other young men and women who eventually become his victims. Then Tom's spirit is drawn to you, Ludwig's nephew, who just happens to be a medium and in doing so have helped bring closure for Tom, Jillian, Don and Charlie, you, your father and a part of Ludwig's soul as well."

"That's…that's amazing, Larry," Robin whispered, astonished by the implications.

"Yes, it is," Eric agreed then cocked his head as he remembered something. "That must have been what Tom meant."

"What do you mean," Charlie asked curiously.

"It was something Tom said before he left," the medium replied "He said it's amazing when you think about it." A soft smile spread across his face. "I didn't get it then but I do now."

"I think we all get it now," Don said as he stepped forward to offer the medium his hand. "Thank you."

Offering his hand as well Charlie came forth. "Thank you for coming here, Eric. I'll admit that this is a lot for me to assimilate but my heart feels lighter than it has in months. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Charlie." Eric replied, shaking his hand warmly.

One by one the others came forward to thank him then they took one last look around the café, turned out the lights and closed the door behind them.

TBC-Epilogue to follow

_I wish you all a healthy and prosperous new year._


	29. Chapter 29

Seasons

By

1st Endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: Mind Games, Trouble in Chinatown

A/N: I appreciate your reviews

_Chapter 29-Epilogue-Part 1:_

The faint haunting notes of a melody floated on the night breeze as if they were being created by some ethereal hand. The delicate melodious tones fluttered gracefully through the night air and passed easily through the glass windows and sturdy doors of the mountain cabin.

"_What's this now_," Don thought irritably as he set the unopened bottle of aspirin back on the kitchen counter. "_Hadn't they had enough excitement for one evening?"_ He'd gotten up in search of something to relieve his pounding headache and had just found the pills when the music had begun to play. He squinted at the kitchen clock and by the light of a moonbeam filtering in through the kitchen window was able to read the time. "_Who in the hell was playing music at 2:00 a.m. in the morning and where was it coming from?"_

Stifling a groan he tightened the belt on his robe then turned quietly around as his dark eyes searched through the moon shadowed room for the mysterious musician but he saw no one there. Puzzled, his brow furrowed more deeply as he stepped around the counter determined to find the source of the music. Suddenly he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and swung around in time to see the front door click shut with a soft thud. Don cocked his head as he listened for footsteps on the porch but only the gentle music greeted his ears. Had Charlie forgotten to lock the door leaving it to the mercy of the wind or had an intruder entered the house and Don had caught him on his way out.

Deeply regretting the fact that his gun was in his suitcase he anxiously hurried to a window that overlooked the front porch and cautiously pulled back the edge of the curtain. The moon had disappeared behind a cloud making it difficult to see anything but as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he was able to make out the shapes of the swings and rocking chairs that dotted the porch.

Don craned his neck to get a better view but it was to no avail for the shadows kept the area encased in darkness. Frustrated he started to straighten up but at that moment the bright moon made its escape from the clouds and with its illumination he could clearly see the unmistakable form of a man sitting on the top step of the porch. The shadowy head suddenly looked skyward and Don let out a relieved breath as he recognized his brother's tousled curls in the dark silhouette. What was he doing out there? He started to drop the curtain when a second shadow caught his eye…..a much darker one. Although the moonlight had lightened his brother's shadow the second one remained dark…almost black….and it was sitting right next to Charlie. _"Maybe Amita is with him and his shadow is blocking her body_ _from the moonlight,"_ he mused thoughtfully but then he abruptly dismissed the idea. He couldn't explain it but even though Charlie partially blocked it from his view he was suddenly sure that the mysterious shadow figure was a man, not a woman. "_Maybe its Tom," he huffed sarcastically then immediately regretted his levity. "After tonight," he sighed, "it could very well be Tom."_

Don crossed the room, opened the door then quietly stepped out onto the porch. Focusing on the elusive figure sitting next to his brother he quickly closed the distance to the steps; the ends of his robe flapped lightly around the legs of his pajamas but the soft soles of his slippers made not a sound as he closed the distance to the front steps. Suddenly he stumbled then quickly recovered….where did it go? His head whipped around anxiously but the elusive shadow was no longer in sight. How was that possible? It _**was**_ there but somehow it had vanished right before his eyes. Don blinked, rubbed his eyes quickly then anxiously scanned the porch for the mysterious shadow but it was nowhere to be seen. Don drew in a shaky breath then rubbed his face tiredly….considering what he'd experienced earlier should he be surprised to have a paranormal encounter now?

Charlie didn't seem to be aware of his presence so he paused a few feet away from him then pretended to clear his throat so that he wouldn't startle him. But the mathematician showed no indication that he'd heard him, just remained hunched over intent on something that he was holding in the palm of his hand. It was then that Don realized that the music was coming from that object. Curiously he tilted his head to the side and concentrated on the melody.

"That's _The Blue Danube, right?" _Don asked softly, easing himself down on the step next to his brother.

"Yes," Charlie replied without looking up, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Its' always been one of my favorites." Don agreed trying to get a look at what Charlie was holding. "What've you got there…..some type of CD player?"

Charlie shook his head softly then turned to his brother as he opened the palm of his hand. "I didn't know it played a tune….just thought it chimed the hour."

Don couldn't suppress a shudder at the sight of the object. "How ….how….can you hold that thing?" He whispered hoarsely visibly repelled by the sight of Schiller's watch.

"It's strange," Charlie replied in wonder, clearly amazed that he was so calmly holding the watch in his own hands. "I'm not afraid of it anymore. Tom was right…it's just a watch….filled with tiny gears and screws not some diabolical instrument of torture. It's hard to believe that only a few short hours ago the chimes from this watch struck terror in my heart and now I can marvel at the intricate designs of the craftsmanship and appreciate the beautiful melody that it plays." Charlie shrugged his shoulders then gave his brother a lopsided smile. "Even the chimes don't bother me now." He snapped it shut then reached for his brother's hand and gently placed the watch in the palm of his hand. "Open it, Don. Hold it in your hands and listen to it."

Amazed by Charlie's reaction to the watch Don forced himself to do as he was asked. The delicate music pealed forth and much to his surprise the tension that he had felt when he first saw the watch began to disappear as he lost himself in the beautiful melody. After the tune played through he gently closed the lid and turned the watch slowly over in his hands. "That's amazing," he whispered softly. "It doesn't make me afraid anymore…as a matter of fact…I feel at peace. How is that possible?"

"I don't understand it either," Charlie answered with a gentle shake of his curls. "But I'm certain that it has something to do with our experience tonight."

That was a subject that had been carefully avoided by all of them after they had left the café; still reeling from their horrifying experience and close to physical exhaustion from the day's activities no one had really felt like discussing the paranormal event that they had witnessed so by mutual agreement they'd all decided to sleep on it and discuss it in the light of day.

"Some night, huh?" Charlie asked in a slightly uneasy voice when his brother remained silent.

Don gave the watch back to his brother then rubbed his face tiredly before replying. "Don't know how we got out of that one, brother."

"I know…I thought sure those knives…." Charlie replied his voice trailing off as the memory surfaced. He cleared his throat then chuckled nervously. "I'm still trying to get my head around it. Tom's ghost, the Schiller's, Ludwig's ghost…was it all real?"

"I don't know about you, Charlie but it sure seemed real to me," Don sighed scrubbing both hands through his hair. "Considering that every one of us experienced the same thing I don't think that we'll be able to say that we imagined it but don't sweat it, Chuck, it's going to take all of us a while to understand what happened tonight."

Charlie nodded then leaned forward nervously rubbing the palms of his hands over his knees. "Hey, Don?" he asked suddenly his eyes darting toward his brother then back again. "Do you remember the first time that we met Simon Kraft?"

Knowing how Charlie felt about the man Don's brow's lifted in surprise at the mention of his name. "Yeah. What about him?"

"Well, I never told you this but after your first interview with him he and I left at the same time and ended up waiting together for an elevator."

"Yeah…so?"

"So while we were waiting there he tried to impress me by saying that he knew I was present during his interview so I told him that I wasn't impressed because he could have easily seen me there. Then he asked me if I would be impressed if he told me that he felt Mom's presence standing beside of me." He glanced sideways at his brother then laughed self-consciously.

"What if…what if he was telling the truth? What if Mom was there and I …I just accused him of being a con man."

Charlie eyes were so sad and mournful that Don's heart dropped to his knees; hooking an arm around his brother's neck he gave him a light shake. "Ah, Charlie…..Kraft was a con-man. I hadn't really made up my mind about the man but after meeting Eric tonight I think you were right about him all along. Kraft might have had a little physic talent but he didn't have Schiller's abilities."

Charlie hesitated then nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Trust me," Don said confidently. "That man was just interested in fame and fortune." Suddenly he remembered the other shadow that he had seen earlier then rose to his feet so that he could clearly search the area again. "Hey, who else is out here with you and where did he go?"

Charlie looked up then graced him with a blank stare. "What're you talking about? There's no one else out here."

Now it was Don with the blank look. "But….but I saw someone sitting next to you."

Charlie shifted his position so that he had a clear view of the porch and the surrounding area then when he looked back a mischievous light had appeared in his brown eyes.

"I think you were dreaming, bro," he said with a chuckle.

"I was not," Don denied heatedly. "I know what I saw and there was someone sitting next to you."

Charlie winked then whispered conspiratorially. "Maybe it was Tom."

Don was about to argue the point then the thought that the mysterious shadow really could have been Tom left him speechless. He glanced sideways at his brother who had started scanning the area again and realized that even though Charlie had been joking he was now considering the possibility that his friend had been sitting next to him. Nervously the agent scrubbed his hands through his hair again then cleared his throat as he sat down on the steps.

"Yes…well….maybe it was just shadows. Speaking of Tom, that was some news about him today, huh? You know, him being a father and all."

"Yeah that was quite a shock," Charlie replied pushing an errant curl out of his eyes. "It makes me sad and happy at the same time." At his brother's questionable look he explained his feelings further. "Tom would have made a great father if only he'd been given the chance and it's just makes his death more tragic to learn that he died without even knowing that he had a son but that being said I'm thrilled that a part of him will live on in Tommy."

Don nodded quietly then seeking to lighten the mood he thought of something that he'd wanted to ask Charlie earlier in the day. "By the way, last night you said that Tom helped you mark two things off of your list. The first one was "the infamous mid-night ride" which by the way I'll never let you forget, but what was the second thing?"

"Oh…the list," Charlie murmured softly. So many things had happened since then that it took him a moment to remember their earlier conversations then his eyes took on a distant look. The mathematician gazed up at the twinkling stars while he sorted through the memories of his life at Princeton and when he spoke the present seemed to fade away.

"It happened on a Saturday, the day after my "mid-night ride" and Mom was still in L.A. I was just getting ready to heat up some of Mom's leftover lasagna when there was a knock at the door….."

_Sixteen year old Charlie Eppes cocked his ear toward the front door of his apartment and paused with an empty spoon dangling over a lasagna dish. He'd gotten home late that morning after spending the night at Professor Fleinhardt's home then after a quick shower had climbed into bed and had slept most of the afternoon away. His rumbling stomach had finally awakened him just before five and he was just in the process of resolving that issue when he heard a knock on the door. Maybe it wasn't his door…it was probably the apartment next to them; they were always getting visitors. _

_The pounding started up again this time followed by the exasperated voice of his friend Tom. "Come on, Charlie….open up." _

_Charlie's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "Tom?" _

_Spoon still in hand he hurried to the front door; his socked covered feet thudding softly across the wooden floors of the apartment. He glanced quickly through the eye hole on the door then slid the chain latch free before unlocking the dead bolt that his Mother had just installed the week before._

"_Geez…it's about time," Tom exclaimed irritably when the door finally swung open. "I was afraid the pizza would get cold before you could get the door unlocked." He rolled his eyes and quipped. "This place is locked up tighter than Fort Knox." _

"_Tell me about it," Charlie grumbled good-naturedly as he closed the door behind his friend and started to follow him across the room._

"_Hey, don't forget to lock the door," Tom warned over his shoulder then set the pizza and a large brown paper bag on the kitchen counter._

"_Yes, Mother," Charlie quipped sarcastically as he dutifully locked the door and replaced the chain latch._

"_I heard that."_

"_What're you doing here, Tom?" Charlie asked ignoring his friend's remark. "I thought you were going to spend the rest of the weekend studying for your finals?"_

_Tom shrugged and pulled the plastic wrap back over the casserole dish before shoving it back in the refrigerator. "I was planning too but then I couldn't stand being cooped up with Alex Sheffield all weekend." _

_Charlie cast a puzzled glance at his friend while he opened the cupboard. "Why? What did your room mate do now?"_

"_Alex," Tom replied between his clenched teeth, "was the one who told Penfield about the keg and helped him take it from our room." _

_Charlie passed a paper plate to his friend and then opened the lid on the pizza box. "But we already knew that….remember? We saw him at Penfield's party last night." _

"_I know," Tom grumbled around a mouthful of pizza. "But I refuse to listen to him moan and groan today while he suffers with a hangover."_

_Charlie's face broke out in a grin. "Suffering, huh?"_

"_Big time," Tom chortled. "And he's not getting any sympathy from me today either…. serves him right!"_

"_Yeah," Charlie agreed whole-heartedly extremely pleased that one of the people responsible for spoiling his keg party was suffering for it. "Payback."_

_Tom nodded enthusiastically then grabbed another slice."Did you talk to your Mom today?"_

"_Yeah, she called right after I got home. Lucky for me she and Dad were out late last night so she slept later than usual otherwise she would have called bright and early this morning and I would've had to come up with some excuse for not being here," he paused to swallow a bite of pizza, "and I'm not sure anything that I could've come up with would've held up to her third-degree questioning."_

"_Oh, come on, Charlie," Tom guffawed, "She can't be that bad."_

"_Are you kidding me?" Charlie asked an incredulous look on his face. "If she even suspected that something was going on she'd transform into __**Attorney**__ Eppes and then we'd both feel like we had just endured one of the infamous Medieval Inquisitions." _

"_Yeah, right," Tom snickered with a roll of his eyes then changed the subject as he reached for another slice. "Hey, is it okay if I sleep on the couch tonight? I figured we could study for a while then later on we could watch a movie?"_

"_Yeah…sure," Charlie agreed then waved a hand at the paper bag. "That sounds good. Are your books in the bag?"_

"_Yes and know," Tom responded mysteriously. "That bag contains my books, a change of clothes and the means to help you check off another of the items on your list."_

"_Really?" Charlie asked eagerly. "Which one? Wait…don't tell me. There's only one thing on the list that would fit in that bag."He smiled smugly then crossed his arms. "You brought beer."_

"_Ah my dear friend," Tom replied with a wink, "you truly are a genius." He hopped up from the table and reached into the paper bag. "For our entertainment tonight I have procured a couple of movies, chips and salsa and most importantly...beer." His face split into a big smile as he held up the six-pack of bottles for the young man to see then with a flourish put them in the refrigerator._

"_There's some cheese in the fridge and a bag of pretzels in the cupboard that we can add to our snack list too." Charlie replied excitedly as he cleaned off the table and put the paper plates and pizza box in the trash._

_The older boy patted his stomach and sighed contentedly. "Guess it's time to hit the books, huh?"_

_Charlie agreed and so they settled down at the kitchen table to study for their finals. Two hours later both boys were rubbing their tired eyes and stretching sore neck muscles._

"_That's enough for me," the younger boy said with a big yawn._

"_Me too," Tom eagerly agreed then without another word both boys headed for the kitchen. In no time at all they were seated on the couch with a tray of snacks on the coffee table and a cold bottle of beer in hand._

_Tom kicked off his sneakers then grinned as Charlie took a sip from the long neck bottle. Almost immediately they younger boy coughed and made a face. "It…it tastes funny."_

_Tom laughed and took a drink of his own beer. "It's an acquired taste, Charlie. You'll get used to it, you'll see. Besides it's better if you eat something with it." Putting his words to action he grabbed a chip and popped it into his mouth._

_After the first bitter sip Charlie wasn't sure if he really wanted to drink the beer but he didn't want Tom to think he was a wimp so he grabbed some chips and took another drink. Tom was right-it didn't taste so bad if you ate something while you drank it._

"_Hey, Charlie, look." Tom suddenly exclaimed. "I found a new movie for us to watch. It's called 'St Helens, Killer Volcano'."_

_Charlie groaned and gazed at his friend with a pained expression. "Not another volcano movie? It's my turn to pick one…you chose the last one…remember?"_

_Tom took a swig of his beer then shook his head. "No I didn't…you did. It was some movie about Albert Einstein…I …ah don't remember the name of it."_

"_Are you sure?" the younger man asked suspiciously taking a sip from his own bottle. "Because I distinctly remember watching 'Krakatoa; East of Java…or was it 'The Last Days of Pompei'?"_

"_We have watched those movies," Tom replied raising his chin defensively. "But the last time we were together we watched one about Einstein so it's my turn to choose again." He quickly pulled the DVD from the cover and shoved it into the player before Charlie could voice in other objections._

_Charlie giggled at his friends hasty motions then realized that he really didn't care. He was enjoying the evening immensely and felt….relaxed. He glanced at his nearly empty bottle and realized that the alcohol was already affecting him. The young man rose from the couch and padded softly out to the kitchen then filled a bowl with pretzels before grabbing two more beers from the fridge. He handed Tom a bottle and set down just as the movie began to play._

"_This one was filmed in 1982 and follows the lives of the people from March 20__th __to May18, 1980-the day of the eruption." Tom explained excitedly his eyes locked on the TV screen._

_Charlie just grinned and drank some more beer but as the movie progressed his thoughts drifted elsewhere. His eyes drifted toward his friend then his smiled deepened-Tom really did enjoy movies about volcanoes._

"_I'm going to study St. Helens one of these days," Tom said suddenly thoroughly engrossed in the movie. "You mark my words, Charlie….I will do it."_

"_I'm sure you will, Tom."_

"_I mean it…you just watch I'll…," Tom stopped mid sentence as he turned to his friend and noticed the lop-sided grin on his face. "What? Are you laughing at me?"_

"_No," Charlie replied with a gentle shake of his head. "I just enjoy watching you watch these movies because you get so caught up in them."_

"_Oh," Tom huffed suddenly embarrassed._

"_Tom?" Charlie asked in a more serious tone. "Why do you do it?"_

"_Do what?"_

"_You know…spend time with me. Nobody else likes too…unless I can help them with their homework but you've never even asked me to do that…not once…so why?"_

_Tom was about to give a flippant response when he noticed the seriousness in his friend's eyes. "I don't know, Charlie. I think that it was because when I was a little kid I was different than the other kids too and they would mock me and push away my efforts to become friends with them so I know a little about what you're going through. It wasn't because I was smarter than they were, like you are. In my case I think it was because I spent so much time with adults that I didn't really know how to interact with kids my own age." Tom shrugged and took a swig of beer. "I practically grew up on the volcano sites where my parents worked and you didn't find too many kids there. During the school year I would live with my grandparents but all of my summers were spent with them. By the time I started the first grade I already had a passion for studying volcanoes and I can remember telling my grandmother that the other kids at school were "just too silly to talk to". So I endured school and longed for the summers where I could talk to people that made sense to me." He leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees while he absently swung the beer bottle back and forth."You've been hurt by a lot of people who are either jealous or intimidated by the genius in you so in defense you've tried to erect a shield of sorts around yourself so that people can't hurt you anymore." _

_Charlie opened his mouth to deny it but nothing came out. Tom was right so he just nodded his head in agreement and stayed silent._

"_I know this because I used to do it too. Adults are excited by your genius but forget that you are still a teenager who wants to be accepted socially while the other students see you as someone that delights in taking everyone's attention away from them. That's not who you really are but they can't see that; they feel stupid around you so they see you as a threat and only pretend to like you when they need help. It's not your fault, Charlie, you didn't ask to be a genius….you were just born that way." _

_Unshed tears welled up in the youngsters eyes and he looked away for a moment then his eyes darted back and he said softly."Sometimes I wish that I was just like everybody else."_

"_I know so did I but as the years have gone by I'm glad that I wasn't like them and you will be too….you'll see." Tom paused to take a sip of beer while he put his thoughts in order; having his own trust issues with people it wasn't easy for him to explain his own feelings._

"_There's something about you Charlie that I don't see in many people…and I'm not talking about that brilliant mind of yours. You're a good person, Charlie…you're loyal to your friends and you're honest to a fault. The way I see it it's their loss that they weren't smart enough to see through that protective shell of yours."_

_Charlie shrugged self-consciously and took another drink of his beer. "You make me sound like a boy scout."_

_Tom shook his head. "No…not like that. When I'm with you I know that I'm with someone that I can tell my deepest secrets too and I know without a doubt that you won't laugh at me or repeat them to anyone. You have a good heart, Charlie and I appreciate that in a person more than anything else. Someday other people will see beyond your brilliance and realize what a wonderful person you really are and will cherish your friendship as I do."_

"_You're the best friend I've ever had, Tom." Charlie replied earnestly then feeling a little self-conscious took another swig of beer. _

"_Thank you for saying that, Charlie." Tom replied solemnly then took a long drink before meeting his eye. _

_Seeking to lighten the mood the young mathematician grinned suddenly and quipped. "What's make you so smart anyway?"_

"_My Mom is always telling me that when I was born I must have been given an old soul because she thinks that I'm older and wiser than I should be." He grinned suddenly and pointed at the teenager. "Maybe you have one too." He held his bottle toward the youth and they clicked them together in a toast. _

"_To friendship," Tom intoned his voice thick with emotion_

"_To friendship," Charlie whispered overcome by his own feelings._

_Tom took another drink then motioned toward the TV to change the subject. "Hey, were missing the best part…the volcano's starting to erupt!"_

_Charlie simply nodded grateful for the opportunity to get his feelings in check and pretended to lose himself in the movie. After that they would comment occasionally on a scene but for the most part both boys just relaxed and enjoyed one another's company. When the movie was over Charlie said goodnight then retired to his room, stumbling slightly from the effects of the alcohol and when his head hit the pillow he fell into a peaceful sleep._

_Tom grinned as he watched Charlie stagger from the room then turned off the TV and snuggled beneath a blanket on the couch and fell immediately into a deep sleep._

"It's funny how memories surface like that," Charlie said softly as his thoughts returned to the present. "I haven't thought about that in years."

"That's a good memory, Charlie," Don replied just as quietly, pulling his robe tighter as a cool breeze suddenly circled around them. "Keep that one in your heart."

"Yeah," Charlie whispered his voice thick with emotion; looking aside he wiped away an errant tear then tilted his head as he thought of something. "Tom was true to his word… he really did get to study Mt. St Helens." He grinned suddenly and caught Don's eye. "He never changed, you know, even years later when we would get together it was like we were still back at Princeton."

"How so?"

"Well, during my last visit we sat down to watch a movie and it was his turn to select the one we were going to watch."

"Wait…let me guess," Don chortled. "Volcano, right?"

Charlie laughed out loud. "Close, it was 'Dante's Peak'."

They burst into laughter then Don said. "I may have to watch that one again."

"It does have some spectacular eruption scenes in it….those were Tom's favorite."

"On your visit before that one which movie did you chose?" Don asked nudging him playfully with his shoulder.

Charlie smiled and shrugged self-consciously. "'A Beautiful Mind', of course."

"Of course," Don snickered with a roll of his eyes. "

After that the brothers fell silent, each one lost in his own thoughts and as they sat there a feeling of peace and well-being settled over them. It was as if a vast and heavy burden had been lifted from their very souls and their fears of losing one another's trust and friendship had been banished. If it was true that they had been drifting apart before the weekend the night's revelations had thoroughly cemented their bond. They gazed up at the peaceful heavens and lost themselves in the vast array of twinkling stars until another cool breeze came along to remind them that pajamas and robes were not enough to ward off the cold air.

"What time is it, Charlie?" Don asked shivering as he tightened the belt of his robe.

Charlie didn't answer but flipped open the pocket watch just as three musical chimes broke the stillness of the night.

"Guess that answers my question," Don huffed rising reluctantly to his feet; even though he was cold he didn't want to end this special moment with his brother. "We'd better go to bed. Didn't Dad say that he wanted to get an early start tomorrow?"

"Yeah, he did," Charlie agreed slowly as he came to his feet. He didn't want this moment to end either and knew that he would always cherish this special time with Don. As he placed his foot on the top step he felt his brothers arm hook around his neck bringing a soft smile to his face; this habit of Don's had started when they were children and never failed to bring him comfort.

"Oh...hey, I forgot to tell you that David and Colby said they watched our game on You Tube." Don said as they stepped into the cabin.

"No way," Charlie exclaimed, locking the door behind them.

Don wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. "That's what they said. We'll have to check it out tomorrow."

"Can't wait to see that," Charlie chortled as the brothers separated and headed for their rooms.

They both stopped at their bedroom doors and shared a look that spoke of brotherly love, appreciation and true friendship…one that said they would always be there for one another. They smiled a quiet good-night then closed the doors silently behind them.

_The spirit of Thomas Hill also shared their smiles but Charlie and Don couldn't see it. He had been sitting beside of Charlie when he heard Don get up and had forced the door to open and close to get his attention then afterward had moved to the deeper recesses of the porch._

_Tom was at peace now even more so after witnessing the brother's conversation on the porch. He was ninety-nine per cent sure that they were going to be okay but wanted to see how they were when dawn made its appearance. Tom could go at anytime now and knew that the light would appear whenever he wished it too but he wasn't quite ready to leave yet._

_He'd wait until morning and watch the sunrise one last time above Mount St. Helens but for now he'd pay one last visit to the people that he didn't want to forget._

_TBC_

_A/N: Sorry the epilogue was too long so I had to split it but it is finished and I will post it sometime this week. _


	30. Chapter 30

Seasons

By

1st endeavor

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Spoilers: "Growing Up"

A/N: Thank you for your reviews.

Chapter 30: Epilogue-Part 2.

The spirit of Thomas Hill sat quietly on the rim of Mt. St Helens broken crater; his legs swinging freely over its edge. It was a place that in life he had frequented many times-a place that had been his sanctuary. Even in the pre-dawn hours where darkness had enshrouded the land the scene at the top of the mountain felt surreal and left him with a feeling of awe.

The dark sky was dotted with bright stars and the full moon's light seemed to rival the sunbeams of the sun. The moonbeams gave the billowy clouds that surrounded the mountain a luminescent glow and as far as the eye could see the white wisps' of air reflected its soft light. The distant snow-capped peaks of Mount Adams, Mount Hood and Mount Rainier which in daylight were so impressive had been reduced to mere shadows; their size seemingly diminished by the darkness.

The ghost smiled wistfully while he gazed at the surreal scene before him then sighed contentedly; his earthly bonds were all but severed now. The thinnest of threads still held him earthbound but he knew that within a few short minutes it too would break then he could leave this earthly plane because there would be nothing left that could prevent him from walking into that bright shimmering light. Suddenly he narrowed his gaze and focused on the horizon then rose slowly to his feet. The tiniest threads of light were beginning to break up the darkness; twilight was approaching.

Tom frowned then turned to look in the direction of the cabin. In a matter of seconds 'the crack of dawn' would occur and with it he would discover if the previous evenings revelations had helped his friends cope with their feelings as much as it had helped him. He'd been encouraged by Charlie and Don's conversation on the porch but there was only one way that he could know for sure and now it was time to find out.

_**000000000000000000**_

Amita closed the door softly, careful not to make a sound as she left the bedroom; Charlie was in a deep and restful sleep and she wanted to keep it that way until he woke up on his own. Clothes in hand she ducked into the bathroom to shower and change. Fifteen minutes later she emerged refreshed and ready for a day of traveling. As she approached the kitchen she heard voices and discovered Robin, Larry and Alan sipping coffee around the small breakfast bar.

"Hmm…that's an amazing aroma," she said softly slipping around them to get her own cup of java.

"Tastes pretty good too even if I do say so myself," Alan teased with a smile. He glanced down the hallway toward the bedroom. "Is Charlie up?"

"No, he's still asleep," she replied quietly.

"Don is still sleeping too," Robin informed her as she stood up and warmed up her coffee.

"What's going on?" Alan asked irritably. "Last night we agreed to get an early start today and it's already seven o'clock."

"Let's drink our coffee out on the porch and I'll explain." Amita replied in a low voice, emphasizing the need for silence.

"Excellent idea," Robin agreed sharing a knowing look with Amita. Together the women hurried outside without waiting for any response from the men.

Alan and Larry shared a puzzled look then grabbed their cups and quickly joined the girls on the front porch.

Robin and Amita were sitting together in one of the swings, heads bent closely together having a quiet conversation. Larry and Alan chose the rocking chairs and while Larry would have patiently waited for the girls to realize that they were there, Alan's patience had already been stretched to the limit so he deliberately cleared his throat to announce their presence. If something was going on with his sons he needed to know about it now….not later.

Amita leaned forward, her coffee cup clutched tightly in both hands. "Alan, for the past few weeks I haven't needed an alarm clock to wake me up in the morning….Charlie does that for me."

"So," he huffed, confused by her comment. "Charlie's always been an early riser."

"No, its…it isn't like that, Alan." She said with a slight shake of her head.

The older man's frown deepened then he scratched absently at the stubble on his face. "This has to do with what Tom's ghost said last night…doesn't it?"

"I believe it does…let me explain. At first I didn't realize what was happening to Charlie," she confessed. "But after a while I made him tell me what was going on."

"I don't mean to be insensitive here, my dear, but could you please get to the point." Alan asked worriedly.

The young woman sighed heavily, took a sip of warm coffee then began to tell her story. "You both knew that Schiller killed his victims exactly a five a.m. but until last night you were not aware that he would open that damn little pocket watch and let it toll their remaining seconds of life?"

"Dear Lord," Larry gasped, clasping his hand over his mouth at the memory. "I've been thinking about last night but I must confess that I haven't been dwelling on that aspect of their ordeal."

"Oh, my poor boys," Alan whispered, his face draining of color.

"Many times I have awakened before five and observed Charlie in his sleep." Her eyes darted away and focused on the distant mountains then her voice took on a more desperate tone. "At four fifty-five his whole body stiffens up then at four fifty-six his heart begins to race so fast that it frightens me." Her eyes darted back to Alan's. "At this point I always try to wake him up …but I…I can't. "She swallowed hard and took another sip of coffee to steady her nerves. "At four fifty-seven he is so tense that he begins to tremble and precisely at four fifty-eight he breaks out in a cold sweat." Amita took a deep shuddering breath before continuing."At four fifty-nine Charlie has clamped his jaw so tightly that the muscles in his cheeks begin to twitch and…and… then," she said, her voice breaking, "precisely at five a.m. his whole body jerks violently and his eyes fly open."

Alan licked his dry lips several times then whispered. "What happens next?"

Amita shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing, he wakes up and puts it behind him for another day."

There was silence for a moment and then the older man turned to Robin and whispered. "Donnie too?"

"Yes," Robin nodded sadly then nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's a little different for him though. At four-fifty five he'll start to toss and turn and like Charlie his heart starts to race then at four–fifty seven he stretches out his right arm as if he is reaching for something. "

"His gun" Alan said, a knowing look in his eye. "He's reaching for his gun so that he can save his brother."

Robin nodded in acquiescence before continuing. "At four-fifty nine he breaks out in a cold sweat and exactly at five a.m. his finger jerks reflexively as if he has pulled the trigger then his eyes pop open…and like Charlie, it's over for another day."

"All this time," Alan murmured softly; sniffing suddenly he turned his head and wiped at a tear and when he turned back to face her, his chin was trembling slightly. "All this time they've been suffering like this and I wasn't aware of it." Abruptly anger flared in his eyes then he exclaimed heatedly. "Why wasn't I told about this? How could you keep this from me? They are _my_ sons!"

"Charlie didn't want you to worry, Alan," Amita answered softly, tears glistening in her eyes. "He made me promise not to tell you."

Robin leaned over to place a calming hand on his arm. "Neither did Don. Alan, he made me promise as well."

Larry had kept silent, eyes flickering from woman to woman. "If that is the case then why say something now?"

Amita shared a glance with Robin then gently squeezed the older man's forearm. "Charlie didn't react that way this morning, Alan. I was awake and I waited for it to happen but his breathing remained relaxed and steady. Five a.m. passed by and he slept straight through it. Don't you see what that means? Despite the horrifying events of last night something good has come out of it. Something Tom said must have gotten through to him, something that has helped him to put that horrible morning behind him." She wiped at a stray tear. "That's why I didn't wake him up because I want him to sleep as long as he needs too."

"Don didn't wake up either." Robin smiled, tears glistening in her own eyes. "Whatever happened yesterday set them both free."

"I wonder what it was," Alan said thoughtfully absently raising the coffee cup to his lips.

"So much happened last night that it will be hard to pinpoint exactly what the defining moment could have been." Larry mused trying to analyze the situation. "There are so many variables that must be considered that we may never fully understand the full ramifications of the paranormal experience that we witnessed last night." His eyes flickered from face to face. "But for the record we are all in agreement that the aforementioned paranormal event did occur last night…right?"

Alan arched a brow and eyed his friend with skepticism. "Considering that we all experienced it, Larry, it would be a little difficult for any of us to deny it now, wouldn't it?"

"Larry, are you saying that you don't believe that what we experienced last night was real?" Robin asked in disbelief.

"Not at all." The cosmologist eagerly explained. "We didn't really discuss the events last night so I merely wanted to confirm that we are all in agreement on this matter." His gaze drifted to Amita. "Did you and Charles talk about it last night?"

She shook her head. "No. We were both too exhausted ….and I think a little in shock over what happened that neither one of us felt like talking about it. Believe it or not, we both fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillows."

"I think it would be safe to say that the occurrence affected all of us in the same way." Larry mused tapping his lips thoughtfully then his eyes lit up and he smiled. "Still…I can't wait to discuss the event with Charles."

Amita took a sip of coffee to hide her smile; she knew all too well that the previous night's events would prompt many animated discussions between the two scientists. Her eyes lifted to the horizon and the distant mountain; its' summit still encased in early morning clouds. Suddenly she had an overwhelming feeling of peace wash over her and for the first time in a long time she felt as if life was going to be normal again.

**000000000000000000**

Don and Charlie slept till ten so by the time the cars were loaded up and ready to go it was after eleven before they were ready to leave. Finally, Charlie set a small box of pictures in one of the chairs on the front porch and took one last look around the cabin to make certain that everything was secure before locking the door and heading for his car.

Don paused, his hand on the door handle of the SUV as a thought occurred to him. He glanced up just as his brother closed the trunk of the Prius. "Hey Charlie, you never did tell me what the number one thing on your list was and if you ever accomplished it?"

Charlie turned and approached Don with a mischievous twinkle in his brown eyes. "You never asked but…yeah, I did finally accomplish it. It just took me longer to complete because its fulfillment depended on another person feeling the same way that I did."

"Oh," Don mumbled regarding him thoughtfully. "What was the number one thing on your list?"

Charlie grinned then pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. "I can't believe that I'm still carrying this around," he mumbled shrugging self-consciously. Flipping open his wallet he pulled out a small scrap of yellow notebook paper then carefully unfolded it. The paper was frayed about the edges and the ink had bled through in many places from being carried around for so many years but it was still legible. It felt odd reading that list again, written all those years ago in his childish scrawl…words that at the time seemed so important to him. Charlie felt a little foolish because all but one thing written there could ever have been important enough to write down….and that one thing still meant as much to him now as it did on the day that he'd put it to paper. All the other things were unimportant…they were things that could only be important to an adolescent boy. He read the list one more time then without another word handed the paper to his brother.

The agent carefully took the fragile paper from him then as he read it his eyebrows rose up in surprise.

2. Kiss a girl

3. Drink a beer

4. Have sex with a girl.

5. Have a keg party

6. Ride a horse

Don felt a wave of warmth spread through him but it was almost immediately replaced by guilt as he re-read the number one thing on Charlie's list.

1. Get closer to my brother

The agent pulled off his sunglasses and stared in dismay at his younger brother. "Ah…Charlie…I'm sorry, buddy," he said sadly. "I'm sorry that we were so far apart back then."

"Hey," Charlie replied quickly, noting Don's distress. "It was my fault too. We lived in two different worlds, remember?"

"I remember," Don agreed softly in a voice filled with regret, "but I can't help wishing that I had been more like Tom back then."

Charlie regarded him thoughtfully for a moment then looked away. When he looked back moisture had gathered at the corners of his eyes. "Don, I told you once before that what we do as kids don't have to haunt us for the rest of our lives. We've changed and that's what is important now."

Don smiled and nodded slowly. "I know you're right. Still…I'm glad that Tom was there for you. He was a true friend."

"That's true," Charlie said, swallowing hard, "he was."

Don carefully folded the small scrap of paper and handed it back to his brother but to his surprise Charlie shook his head and gently pushed his hand away.

"You can keep it," he said with a shrug, "I don't need it anymore. I've full-filled everything on the list."

"Oh yeah?" Don asked, trying to lighten the banter. "What about the keg party? Did you ever have one?"

Charlie shook his head and grinned. "No, but it just isn't as important to me as it used to be."

"If you two are going to stand there and talk we might as well go back inside the cabin and wait." Alan called out irritably from the back seat of Don's SUV.

"Guess we'd better get going," Don muttered sharing a grin with his brother.

"We're ready, Dad, " Charlie chuckled then hurried to his car. "Go ahead Don, I'll follow you."

Don quickly pulled out his wallet then carefully put the small paper inside. "It's going to be a great day" he exclaimed as he slid behind the wheel then a second later the engine roared to life and the black vehicle pulled out onto the dirt road. The SUV was almost to the bend in the road when it came to a slow stop.

"Great morning for a run, huh?" Don asked the young woman that just rounded the bend.

"It's a beautiful morning," Jillian exclaimed, her face flushed from her run. "I can't explain it but I feel_ soo_ alive this morning."

"I don't think that you met my father yesterday, Jillian," Don said nodding toward the back seat. "Dad, this is Jillian Beal."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Eppes."

"The pleasure is all mine, my dear," Alan graciously replied, beaming from the back seat. "Don and Charlie have told me a lot about you and that son of yours. Where is the little boy anyway?"

"Oh, he and Dad are out looking for more rocks for Tommy's collection. Not that Dad really wants to look for rocks but he can't seem to say no to that little boy."

"I should be so lucky," Alan grumbled loudly.

Don grinned at Jillian and rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't say things like that when he can hear you…it gives him ideas."

Jillian laughed out loud. "You guys have a safe trip." She stepped away from the car. "I look forward to your next visit."

"See ya," Don called out as he put the car into gear and pulled ahead.

**000000000000000000**

Charlie started the engine of the Prius just as Don pulled out of the driveway but as he shifted into gear he happened to glance in the rear view mirror. Much to his surprise it wasn't the expected view of the cabin that caught his eye but a shimmering white light that had just appeared on the edge of the porch. A sunbeam perhaps…but no he'd seen this kind of light once before…last night when Daniel and Ludwig Schiller had crossed over.

Without taking his eyes off of the light he absently turned off the engine and opened the car door. Ever so slowly he climbed out of the car then as if in a trance walked forward until he was standing only a few feet from the front steps.

"Charlie, what's wrong?" Amita called out unbuckling her seat belt so that she could follow him then gasped audibly as she stood by the car.

"What's going on?" Larry asked scrambling out of the backseat. "Oh, my! Is that…?"

"How…how is that…even possible?" Amita asked breathlessly as she and Larry hurried to Charlie's side.

"Do…do you guys see," Charlie swallowed thickly, unwilling to take his eyes away from the sight, "anything on the porch?"

"Unless my eyes are deceiving me, Charles, it's…..it's the same shimmering light that we saw last night."

"Ah….I," Charlie started to say but his words trailed off as something else caught his attention.

A translucent form had suddenly appeared at the edge of the light. At first it was just an outline of a man but as it stepped closer to the light the spirit of Thomas Hill became visible.

"Good-bye, Tom," Charlie breathed softly his eyes glistening with tears.

Tom's pale blue eyes met Charlie's expressive brown ones but he didn't speak-he didn't need too. The look that passed between them spoke of brotherly love, true friendship and of a mutual understanding that it was time to let go.

Suddenly there was a gasp at his side and Charlie caught movement in his peripheral vision but he didn't take his eyes from the translucent figure on the porch.

Jillian had seen them at the porch and had come over to say good-bye but she was totally unprepared for the appearance of her lover's ghost. "That's….that's Tom….that's really Tom, isn't it?" she asked breathlessly her hands clasped over her mouth. Jillian wasn't really waiting for an answer because there was no mistake; Tom's facial features could clearly be seen.

"Yes, it is," Charlie whispered without taking his eyes from the pale form.

"Oh, Tom," she whispered sadly, tears forming in her eyes. Mesmerized by the sight she stood in silence as the spirit of Thomas Hill returned her loving gaze.

Tom smiled sadly at first then his head swiveled toward the light and he cocked his head as if listening to some distant voice. When he turned back to face them he was beaming and his blue eyes were twinkling with excitement.

Speechless, Charlie, Amita, Larry and Jillian watched in amazement as Tom waved one last good-bye then stepped purposely into the shimmering light and vanished from view. Abruptly the light flashed brighter, shimmered briefly then winked out of sight.

As if on cue the clouds shifted overhead and the full sun appeared forcing everyone to blink from the sudden intensity of its brightness then when their vision cleared and they looked back at the porch Tom was gone.

"Nooo!" Jillian screamed desperately as she ran up the steps of the porch. Frantically the young woman searched behind the swings and chairs for him but it was to no avail. "Where did he go?"

"He's gone now, Jillian," Larry answered gently. "He's stepped into the light. Thomas Hill is home now."

"I'm so glad that I got to see him before he left," She whispered, wiping tears from her eyes. "Yesterday Marta said she saw him and Tommy could see him too but I couldn't." She turned to face Charlie then added in a tremulous voice. "Now I can say that I saw him too."

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked worriedly.

Jillian smiled then and despite her tears it was obvious that she was happy. "Yes, I'm fine. I got to say good-bye to him." She spotted the box of pictures and nodded toward the box.

"Thank you for putting these aside for me, I…I really appreciate it." She cleared her throat, picked up the box and took a deep breath. "I'll always love Tom but now I think that I can really get on with my life."

"Tom would want that, Jillian," Charlie said quietly.

"I Know," she said wiping away a tear. "Listen, I …I ah…I know you have to get going and I should get home so I'll say good-bye for now. Look me up when you come back to visit." She came down the steps to give Charlie a quick hug, waved good-bye to Amita and Larry then clutching the small box tightly in her arms she disappeared around the side of the cabin.

Still reeling from seeing Tom's spirit again Charlie, Amita and Larry quietly got back in the car. In stunned silence Charlie eased the Prius onto the road as a collective release of breaths suddenly filled the small car.

No one spoke and in only a few minutes Charlie had caught up to the SUV because Don had pulled off to the side of the road to wait for them.

Worriedly Don powered down his window; leaning out he slid down his sunglasses to get a good look at his brother. "Everything okay?"

Charlie cleared his throat then leaned out his window to respond. "Every…everything's fine Don. We're ready to go."

Don studied him for a moment then pushed his glasses back up. "Stay close, bro."

"Always," Charlie replied simply, pulling his head in and powering up the window.

_**0000000000000000**_

Don glanced in the rearview mirror then maneuvered the SUV out onto the highway with the Prius following closely behind him.

"You seem full of energy this morning ….what's your secret?" Robin asked Don teasingly as they headed down the road. "Was it the hearty breakfast or the good nights sleep?"

Don shrugged his shoulders and offered her a broad grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Probably a little of both because I gotta tell you that I haven't felt this relaxed in months." He gave her a wink. "Must be the fresh mountain air, huh?"

Robin laughed out loud. "I never get tired of this side of you. We may have to come up here more often."

"Hey, you two, I have a great idea." Alan spoke up suddenly from the backseat.

"Yeah," Don said, meeting his Dad's eyes in the rear view mirror. "What's that pal?"

"Well, since we have a long drive ahead of us, I thought we… or you, that is, could make good use of the time."

Don dropped his gaze and shared a puzzled glance with Robin before meeting his father's eyes again.

"Good use of the time? What are you talking about, Dad?"

"Well, since you're here and Robin is here," Alan replied, his eyes lighting up mischievously, "why not work out your wedding date?"

"Oh, man," Don muttered with a roll of his eyes as he and Robin shared a grin.

"What?" Alan huffed. "It's a good idea and besides I'm not getting any younger, you know. My grandfather clock is ticking away back here."

Don slowed down for a stop sign before taking the turn toward Portland. He glanced over his shoulder at his father. "We may have to switch you for Larry before this trip is over."

Alan harrumphed. "That's doable then I can work on Charlie and Amita too."

"Remind me to give Chuck a head's up." Don mumbled to Robin as he pulled out onto the highway.

"I heard that."

0000000000000000

There was no sound in the smaller car as it followed the larger one down the highway, each occupant still trying to process what they thought they had seen. The road curved around the mountainside and as they rounded a bend Mt. Saint Helens came into view.

The morning sun reflecting off of the dome was a breathtaking sight and as they drove by it Charlie felt a feeling of peace and contentment wash over him. He couldn't explain how he felt, anymore than he could explain the apparition back at the cabin but somehow Tom's ghost had left him with a profound sense of serenity.

Amita stirred beside him and he glanced her way. She smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders but it was her eyes that answered his questioning gaze. Amita wasn't ready to discuss what happened so he nodded an unspoken affirmation to her silent plea.

Charlie glanced in his rear view mirror and met Larry's gaze. His friend's hands were clasped together in front of him and he was slowly tapping them against his mouth as he pondered their ghostly encounter.

The mathematician absently scratched at his chin. What did he believe? Everything that he'd experienced last night as well as the apparition that he'd just seen on the steps of the porch could not be scientifically proven…and yet in his heart he knew that everything he'd experienced had been real….and more importantly he realized…he wanted to believe that it was real. But having admitted that, he thought as he met Larry's questioning gaze in the rearview mirror, a hearty scientific discussion never hurt anyone.

As Charlie's eyes shifted back to the road in front of him, a small smile began to play across his lips; it was going to be a _very _interesting ride home.

_Finis_


End file.
